Fire Emblem: the Other Half
by DaiTenku
Summary: 20 years after FE7 ends, FE6 doesn't exist to me  full info in author's note     Start at Ilia, a tactician wakes up and meets a pirate. The pirate offers to escort the tactician to Lycia and their journey begins from there.    T for violence.
1. Chapter 1: The pirate in snow

This is taking 20 years after FE7. You know I first started this not knowing FE6 existed, but then when I found out about it I was trying to stay canon with FE6 which destroyed the original story I was writing but now I've completely scraped that idea. I am completely rewriting the story and I am only staying canon to FE7, that means Roy and Lilina exist because of FE7's epilogue, but Klein and Clarine don't have to exist (but they do, cause I need both a sniper and healer anyways) there will be a few things I take from FE6 which most likely will be names of canon offspring and names of Generals and that's it. I have not played FE6, nor do I plan to anytime soon so personalities of enemies and canon characters will be unknown to me so I'm just going to wing that part.

Support Conversations from FE7 all happened besides conflicting love endings. Who got paired is the surprise of the story

* * *

><p>"You coming to now?"<p>

A man opens his eyes to see himself face to face to another man wearing a pirate bandana. He then scans his surrounds seeing he's in a small cabin house.

"You aren't used to these areas now are you now?"

The man sits and tries to catch up to speed with himself.

"You seemed to have collapsed from the cold; you weren't dressed properly for the snow!"

The man looks outside a window to see it snowing. He starts to get up.

"Hey now laddie! Don't be making sudden movements like that. How does ye plan on – ah, excuse me, how do you plan on going out there like that? Sit down and I'll try to get you set up to get out of here."

The man turns to the other and then nods and sits back down onto the futon he awoke from. The other man then heads to the kitchen part of the cabin and starts to heat up an iron pot on top of some coal.

"What's your name? I'm Flare"

"Lark…"

"Lark is it? Funny name, but interesting enough." Flare comes towards the man holding a small bowl filled with porridge. "My mother has gone out, otherwise I could have provided you with something better. She's making a trip to Edessa, the capital of Ilia. What brings you here in Ilia anyways?"

"I'm.. trying to reach someone, but I got sidetracked"

"Sidetracked? You're not some wanted fugitive running from the law now are you?"

"…I sense no irony in that statement."

"Hey now! I may be a pirate, but I have morals! I just fight for sea territory and look for lost treasure! I don't plunder port towns or the like. We pirates have a prideful life! Not some scummy one."

"For a pirate you speak normal though."

"My father is a pirate, but my mother is a pegasus knight from Ilia. So I had to learn proper speaking tongue but I speak like a pirate to live part of my roots. Anyhow, how did you get sidetracked?"

Sudden knocking happens on the door.

"Who could that be?" Flare was wondering "Be anymore bandits and I'm going to have to rout them all" Flare sighed while grabbing his weapon.

"Is that a spear or a poleaxe?" Lark looked at Flare's weapon with wonder.

"Quite an eye you got, if you can't tell. It's a halberd. I had a blacksmith specially make it. It's both a lance and an axe. I can use it as both, so I'll use it to my advantage. Basically it's a lance or axe when I want too. Still, since it's a long pole, axes will give me trouble, but I don't suffer any penalty fighting them."

"But it must be expensive to keep getting a new one."

"Yes, yes it is, that's why I also can use lances when funds are a problem. But who has heard of a pirate using a lance? Its blasphemy! But, I was born with my mother's talent with the lance, so I had to make do with what I was born with."

The door starts to be slammed at. An axe managed to cut partway through the door.

"No one seems to be home! Perfect time to take what we need!" a rough voice said.

"Bandits.." Flare sighed "Lark, can you fight, or you need to go hide?"

"I can't fight, but I can be of assistance. I'm a strategist"

"I'm not one to listen to someone else in a fight, but judging from the slams on the door, it seems to be a 2 on 1 fight. Alright then, watch my back Lark! I'm counting on you."

Flare dashes to the door, and kicks it open causing the bandits to be knocked back onto their backs.

"You bandits picked the wrong pirate to loot!" Flare intimidatingly said.

"Uh-oh brothers, this doesn't look good. He means business!" one bandit who was nearby runs away unnoticed.

"That insolent coward, whatever its still two on one, you can't take us both now!" one of the bandits said.

"The one on the right has a bad defensive stance, strike him now!" Lark said.

Flare took his halberd and swings to the bandit on the right. The bandit brings his axe to his side to narrowly catch Flare's halberd, but not before getting cut. The bandit gives out a pained gasp, catching himself up with the moment.

"The left bandit has no form! There is an opening.. everywhere!"

Flare twirls around a full 360 clockwise to interrupt the left bandit mid swing with a swing of his own. This bandit had no time to block, and fell to the ground.

"This… is no normal pirate!" The remaining bandit said nervously.

"Damn right I'm not normal, I'm son of the legendary pirate Dart! HIYA!" Flare lunges at the bandit, piercing his abdomen. The bandit had no hope in escaping and just embraced his death.

"My brothers… don't avenge me…" the bandit gave a small last cry, but it was unheard.

Flare walks back towards Lark.

"Pretty slick stuff you noticed there, Lark." Flare said giving Lark a punch on the shoulder "You strategists can read people so well. Saved me the trouble of figuring it out. With your knowledge, and my ability to act fast upon, we'll be able to make it to… wait where are you going in the first place? You're gonna have to share some of your story with me"

"Hmmm…" Lark starts to contemplate on what to say. In the midst of thought he started feel lightheaded. Clutching his head with his right and reaching with his left, Lark looked out as he started to black out.

* * *

><p>Author's note<p>

Flare's halberd – I know a halberd is a weapon in FE, and that it's considered and axe that is strong against cavaliers. However, halberds are my favorite kind of weapon, so I wanted to give it special treatment making it a custom weapon for Flare. It's now a lance as well but retains his cavalier bonus and now has an armored knight bonus as well xD (consider it a starting lord weapon now), Flare will use lances later on if that wasn't obvious from the chapter.

Lark and talking – Yea the tactician didn't talk in FE7, but this isn't a game where you are controlling him. Besides, its more interesting this way.


	2. Chapter 2: Pegasus Twins

"Oyi mate, wake up"

Lark opens his eyes to see Flare all packed up already.

"Guess action is a bit much for those who don't fight." Flare looks out to the door that has been boarded from the damage the bandits had done to it. "Those bandits will probably be back to ambush us harder. We should move to a new location. So what are you doing in Ilia and where are you heading too?"

"… I need to deliver a message to a noble in Lycia. It was my father's wish. It's contained in this letter I hold." Lark holds up a letter.

"Lycia you say? Which territory? I need to make a trip to Ostia as it is. Overdue for a visit."

"I need to go to Pheare. If we traverse from Etruria, we'll end up in Ostia. Sacae doesn't sound like the ideal way to go, and I don't want to be anywhere near Bern. I'll be able to make it alone the rest of the way from Ostia."

"I agree with staying away from Bern. We're pretty close to Edessa, so it's still a far travel to Remi. I'd like to wait for my mother to return, but she's on a Pegasus, she'll catch up in no time." Flare hands a knapsack to Lark "Take these provisions. There should be a coat in there as well to shield you from the cold. Luckily it's not a blizzard for now, so we can travel to the nearest town." Flare removes the board the door. "Let's go, Lark"

Flare and Lark exit the cabin and proceed west. The plan is to head to Carrhae to get more supplies. However, shortly after their depart…

"Boss, that's dem! They the ones who killed our brothers!"

"Don't sound so excited runt, don't forget who turned his coat to save his own hide instead of helping his brothers!" the boss said angrily at this his underling. "Surround them up!"

The bandits start rushing through the snowy forest.

"Flare, we're being surrounded." Lark said to Flare, somewhat panicked.

"Not exactly the most ideal situation but guerilla warfare isn't that hard when you are a small number but…" Flare looks at Lark "I don't know how well I'd be able to keep you out of harm's way alone against... however many there will be."

"Biiiiiiiiiiiig brotheeeeeeeeer!"

Sound of two pairs of Pegasus wings are heard flapping and get closer to Flare and Lark.

"Oh… well, what a lovely way to get reinforcements." Flare gave a sigh of relief.

"Brother! You should stop picking on the bandits! They're people too!" the young Pegasus knight said. Behind her was another Pegasus knight.

"You really are troublesome, Flare. You should try to not be so reckless."

"Oyi, Lark, these here are my cousins, Anna and Adia. Adia is the stiff one, that's how you tell them apart."

"We are the twin Pegasus knight sisters!" They said in unison, "Ohh brother, why do you always have to call us cousins! We aren't that far apart!" Anna had to add.

"Sibling talk can wait, we got to clear these bandits! Oyi Lark, think of a good plan now!"

"I'm on it…hmmm" Lark goes deep in thought "Ok, I got a plan, based on what I perceived as they surrounded us. They should be going for a pincer attack. It's going to be a problem with axe users, as all 3 of you don't really like facing them…"

"I'll use the terrain to my advantage! Anna, Adia, you two should double team a single bandit at a time!" Flare said out.

"Bandits are no match for refined pegasus knights!" Adia said not to be belittled.

"She's right, Flare! Bandits have no form! They can't aim properly like a fighter!" Anna said to back up her sister.

"You'll need to have more faith in them, Flare!" Lark said back "Here they come!"

4 bandits walk out into the open, the boss among them starts to speak "You curs are gonna die! And you even brought women for us!"

"You bandits are all the same…" Flare sighs shaking his head.

"Go Flare! Adia, Anna! Attack from above from the side!" Lark commanded.

Flare dashes into the midst of the bandits as they all rush in, halberd in hand. He then jams the head of his halberd into the ground and pole vaults on top of one of the bandits and quickly dislodges his halberd out of the ground to chop him.

"Now your back is open, you fool!" one of the bandits behind him said arcing his arm back to swing his axe, but then he gets stabbed from behind.

"Maybe you should watch YOUR back!" Anna said triumphantly.

"Hurr.. I shouldn't hurt the merchandise.."

Adia quick gives a slap to the face with her lance to the bandit followed up with thrust, lodging her lance into the bandit. She finishes it up with a kick to knock the bandit off her lance dead. With that, only the boss remained who is stepping back slowly in disbelief at what happened.

"Uhh.. uh.." the boss starts panicking after grasping how quickly his brothers went down "I shoulda listened when they said Ilia was a horrible place to be a bandit! Uwaaaaa!" he makes a run for it.

"Coward!" Flare said throwing his halberd at him. The halberd flies squarely into the bandit's back "So predictable."

"Bandits are no match for Ilia's mercenaries!" Adia said getting off her Pegasus.

"So brother! Who this is guy? He did have a good plan back there… so I guess that means he's a strategist?" Anna said pondering aloud.

"Yea, that's what he is. This guy collapsed cause of the cold, so I'm escorting him to Lycia."

"Lycia? Oh! Oh! I want to visit sister Lilina!" Anna said joyfully.

"We don't even see her much and you call her your sister?" Flare sighs some more "But yea, it wouldn't be bad to give a visit to our dear cousin."

"Small world?" Lark asked.

"Small indeed" an unknown voice said.

"Eh! You caught up!" Flare said turning around "Mother!"

"I was expecting you to get farther than this! What…" she pauses to look around "oh I see now, bandits… When will they learn" Flare's mother said as her Pegasus walked up to them "Also, what are you two doing here, Adia, Anna?"

"We heard you guys were visiting! How could we stay put?" Anna said frowning "We haven't seen you in ages!"

"Your length of ages needs reevaluating" Farina said "You girls snuck out to Badon last year! You two and Aaria were so crazy thinking that 3 girls could travel from Ilia to Badon without much trouble... What if you ran into soliders?"

"Aunt Farina, you'll have to forgive us, we simply couldn't contain ourselves. Punishment is-"

"Oh stop Adia! Talking like your parents is just bringing back the memories of how both of them would chastise me." Farina gives an unpleasant look "So who is this guy?" Farina takes a look at Lark.

"This is Lark, I found unconscious from the cold, so I took him in. Turns out he's got a letter to deliver to Pherae."

"Well we can accompany you up to Ostia, after that you'd have to pay us." Farina said, bluntly.

"You never let a financial gain situation slip past you." Adia said.

"I'll have to think about it, I never know I might actually need it." Flare said considering his options

"Hmm for the beauty core here and Flare we'd have to charge around seventy thou-" Flare cuts off Farina.

"Don't be ridiculous charging a war fee. Besides, Lark is a strategist, so he would know our rates as mercenaries."

"I managed to be bought for 20,000 back in my day!" Farina boasted.

"We can talk about your glory days on the way, Aunt Farina. We should really depart back to our house in Carrhae." Adia said firmly.

"Yea, I agree, lets head there" Flare said "let's go, Lark!"

* * *

><p>So if it wasn't obvious now, the main character's parents are Dart and Farina, those two are my favorite pairing in FE7. Sadly they are the 2 most expensive units too =_= so I don't get to rely on them in HHM, sadly I won't even get to use my first HHM MVP couple which made me sad but the story was so much better with another pairing I thought of. But I'm rambling now<p> 


	3. Chapter 3: Defend the Motherland!

I realized I never stated how any of my characters look like besides Flare wearing a bandanna, so here is a quick note for yall (and a 2nd obvious giveaway on a couple pairing)

Adia has orange short hair. Anna has medium long light blue hair. *cough*ifyoudontknowitskentyoufail*cough*

Oh yea, Farina wears a bandanna too, but some of her hairs sticks out.

Also, from a previous review/critique i got before, I've shifted everything to the present tense. I was wondering as I'm so used to typing said instead of says but I'll get over it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>After meeting and joining with the twin Pegasus sisters, and a late arrival of Flare's mother, Farina, Flare and Lark decide to head to the twins' house to recuperate and resupply themselves.<strong>_

"Ahhh~ Home sweet home!" Anna jumps off her Pegasus and dashes to the door of her house.

"We weren't even gone for 4 hours!" Adia walks behind her.

"Mother! We're home! And Flare and Aunt Farina are here too!" Anna knocks on the door.

"She won't hear you from outside." Adia face palms. The door opens shortly after Anna's knocking.

"Anna, you shouldn't knock so hardly on the door!" the Pegasus twins' mother steps outside. "Farina… What do I owe this visit to?

"Are you saying visiting my elder sister is not worth visiting, Fiora?" Farina pouts.

"Beside it being 5 years since I last saw you, I feared you dead! You are always living such a dangerous life of piracy!" Fiora says in a disapproved voice.

"As if being a mercenary isn't dangerous! Let's not have this have this argument again, we have a guest too."

"A guest?" Fiora notices Lark for the first time "Oh! Parden my manners!"

"My name is Lark, thank you for your hospitality" Lark bows, trying to ease tension.

"Did you get lost in the blizzard?"

"Sort of…" Lark says hesitant. Flare cuts in.

"I found him collapsed nearby our shelter house. Now I'm going to escort him to Lycia."

"Near our shelter house you say…" Fiora starts to ponder the thought.

"Well let's go inside now! We don't want him to collapse again now!" Flare says wanting to sit down actually.

They walk into the house. Flare goes to sit down and leans back on the chair to stretch his back. The Pegasus twins go look out the window, Fiora and Farina discuss matters in the kitchen. Lark walks up to the Pegasus twins, attempting some small talk.

"This is the first time I've actually met a Pegasus knight."

"I assume you've learned about us from wherever you studied strategy?" Adia says turning her head towards Lark.  
>"I've mainly just been learning from my father actually. We used to travel around the continent. He said it was good to expand my horizons so I can understand tactics more easily." Lark says.<p>

"I see, I guess that's the same with us. Anna and I have been training with our mother to become Pegasus knights. Family decides what we become." Adia says straightforward.

"It's not like it's a sure thing that family decides what you become." Lark tries to suggest.

"But it doesn't make sense to not do what you are born to do. I was born to be a Pegasus knight." Adia dutifully says.

"Mother mother!" Anna bursts out in a panic "There are soldiers outside the house!"

"Soldiers?" Fiora and Farina both say in unison. Fiora walks to the window, Farina follows her.

"Are you sure the General's mistress is here, cadet?" the commanding figure asks.

"Yes sir! This is the house of the wench who leeches off him lives here!"

"Form up! We are to raze the house and the surroundings!" Soldiers form up around the house and more set up a perimeter.

"This is bad, real bad!" Flare said trying to keep his composure.

"Mommy… I'm scared" Anna clings onto her mother.

"We should… get out" Adia says intimidated by the numbers of soldiers. Lark stops looking at the window and turns to everyone.

"I have a plan to stop them."

"With these numbers?" Fiora bursts out "We should just escape with all our lives!"

"I think our lives are what these soldiers want, I saw torches out there! They plan to raze the area down completely!" Lark says foreseeing the worst.

"Let's hear Lark out, he might actually have a good idea." Flare says trusting Lark's judgment.

"There are two groups from what I saw. One is going to assault the house, and the second group will be setting up a fire in the perimeter to ensure the entire area is burned down. If we want to stop the fire, Fiora and Farina have to rush out there to stop them. You two are much more experienced at fighting and riding a Pegasus that it's more suited for you two. The rest of us will defend the house until the perimeter has been cleared, then we will break west to Remi."

"This is far too dangerous for you kids! I'll clear the perimeter alone, Farina you should watch over them." Fiora objects to putting her daughters in this danger without supervision.

"You can't clear the perimeter fast enough. We need both you and Farina there."

"Mother!" Adia firmly says "Anna and I have been training since we were thirteen! For 3 years we've been honing our skills to the point we're now mercenaries of the 5th squad! We are capable fighters who you can rely on, mother!"

"Adia…" Fiora slowly says. Anna pushes off from her mother with a determined look on her face.

"Adia is right! We have trained mother! I may not be a fighter alone, but I can definably fight with my sister, and you, mother!" Anna says with confidence. "I won't be a little girl that needs protecting forever."

"Alright Anna, Adia, you girls have grown up so much already." Fiora says defeated. "Adia, go to the storage room, I left two lances specially made for you two." Adia heads to the storage room.

"Fiora, let's go drive these soldiers out of here!" Farina beckons Fiora to stable door connected to the house. Fiora follows Farina as Farina opens the door to the stable.

Adia returns with 2 lances in her hands. She hands one of the lances to Anna.

"These lances… have been forged to be lighter and stronger." Adia mentions to Anna.

"Whoa… I can swing this so much faster" Anna swipes with the lance, getting a feel for it.

"You two should name them, as custom forged weapons usually deserve a name. Even if it is an iron lance, it was still custom made for you." Flare states.

"That's a good idea!" Anna jumps on the idea instantly "I'll call mine…. 'Irony'" Anna thinks she has an ironic name for her lance. "You should call yours 'Lancer', Adia! We'd be the Irony Lancer combo!" Anna giggles at the thought.

"Anna, this is serious... but Lancer is a good name, so I will take it." Adia holds lancer in the air.

"Alright guys, let's get ready to defend this house!" Lark rallies them up.

"Fiora, take this" Farina said handing her a shield.

"This is… Farina! This is your dephi shield!" Fiora confusingly says.

"Adia and Anna need you more than anything, Fiora. Flare still has Dart, so he won't be alone even if I'm gone."

"Don't say things like that Farina! We will all make it alive through this! I won't let anyone die." Fiora is determined.

Farina and Fiora jump onto their Pegasus and they fly off.

"Sir! The perimeter has been secured! Our archers are on standby to shoot down any Pegasus knights that fly out."

"This is too easy." The commanding figure sighs "You, Daruck, are to go assault the house and kill everyone in there! I'm heading back to camp"

"Sir!" Daruck salutes. "Alright men! Let's go get an easy pay raise!" Soldiers surround the front of the house. "You two, barge in now!"

Two soldiers go to the door, one starts to go for a kick but then the door burst open putting the soldier off balance then with a quick follow up swipe from Flare, killing the first soldier.

"I don't think so! I will drive you soldiers out of here!" Flare angrily says. Flare then jabs the end of his halberd into the other soldier's abdomen to knock him back through his guard. As the soldier clenched his gut from the sudden strike, Flare follows it up with an execution chop on the soldier's head.

"Resistance?" Daruck smirked "Pitiful fools don't know what you are up against. Alright! Men, charge at them! We severely outnumber them!"

"Flare! One of those soldiers has javelins! Try to get some for your cousins!" Lark says.

Flare nods as three soldiers charge in towards him. As they close in, Adia's Pegasus flies in and she stabs the soldier in the neck, killing him on the spot. With the soldiers' attention occupied on the surprise attack from Adia, Anna flies in with her surprise attack stabbing the soldier on the left with a fatal strike. The lonesome soldier now panics from the sudden slaughter on his two fellows and puts down his weapon and runs away. The soldier trips over himself and looks back to see if he's being chased. Adia gives him a death stare and he starts getting watery eyes. Adia turns her head and goes to pick up carrying bag filled with javelins and ties the two corner ends to her pegasus's saddle. The soldier gets up and runs away while Adia and Anna fly away into the forest surrounding the house to prepare their second air strike.

"What is this?" Daruck grabs the soldier who ran away and holds him up in the air "Who said you could run away?"

"I'm sorry s-sir! I just… p-p-panicked…" the young soldier begs for his life. Daruck throws the soldier onto the ground.

"What about your sister? Didn't you join just to take care of her?" Daruck turns and faces away from the young soldier. "Run away, you worthless peasant. As a traitor, you have nowhere to go now." The soldier whimpers a little on the ground, then gets up and runs away from the battle.

"Sir! Orders to deal with the traitor?" Daruck's standing officer asks.

"This wasteland is a deathtrap alone, he won't get far." Daruck smirks. "Alright men, charge the forest! Pegasus knights can't use the forest to their advantage!"

Fifteen soldiers surround the house and forest together. Lark gasps at the sudden influx of the soldiers and Adia and Anna fly over to Lark and Flare at the house. Anna was in front in a panic as Adia followed her just to stick together.

"That is way too many soldiers for just three fighters!" Anna starts breathing heavily.

"Calm down, Anna" Flare tries to be comforting but still focused on the battle. "Don't let the numbers scare you, you gotta hold on."

"They won't be able to blitz in if we defend the front. We need to hold the fence basically. They won't be able to get through the forest fast unlike the clear path in front of the house. We have to clear the soldiers in front before the soldiers on the side reach us." Lark calmly says. "Flare, Adia, you two will guard the front. Adia, give your javelins to Anna, let her throw them from behind you two."

Adia unhooks the bag of javelins from her saddle and hooks it onto Anna's saddle. Flare stands at the gate opening alongside to the left of Adia. Anna positions herself behind them in the air to keep an eye out. Four soldiers make their way towards the gate Flare and Adia guard, with their lances in hand with a rally cry. The one in front gets rudely interrupted mid charge with a javelin hitting him in the leg. He does a roll on the ground and the soldier directly behind him trips over him. The other two soldiers continue their charge towards Adia and Flare. One soldier makes a lunge at Flare while he just brushes off the lance with his halberd then slams the lance away, pulling the soldier with him. In his open pose, Flare slices the soldier's hand, handicapping his ability to fight. Flare then sweeps the end of his halberd to trip the soldier off his feet and chops his neck. The other soldier makes a novice charge straight at Adia, but he falls off balance from Adia's Pegasus flapping his wings. Adia then flies up as the soldier is getting up to his proper stance, then charges down with a stab that pierces the soldier's basic armor. Adia kicks off the soldier lodged in her lance and flies straight ahead towards the soldier who tripped. She does a low slice with her lance, cutting the soldier at his neck.

Out of the forest, a soldier jumps out and charges at Anna through the gap Adia left open. Flare turns around as the soldier runs farther away from him towards the house. Anna's Pegasus neighs as the soldier makes a lunge at her. Anna screams, holding onto her Pegasus so she doesn't fall off. Flare quickly arrives on the scene. He severs the unaware soldier's head off. Anna quivers as her Pegasus calms down.

Flare turns to Anna. "This is no time to be scared! I can't always rush in to save you like this!" He then turns to Lark "The soldiers are making is through the forest now!"

"I noticed! Damn, we still have so many-" Lark stops talking as he hears Pegasus wings that shouldn't be there. Flying from the south, Farina is seen flying towards them. "What is she doing back here so fast?" Farina lands the moment she reached the house.

"We have to get out of here now! The fire has started! I managed to prevent the west side from burning so we should escape while we can!" Farina says urgency.

"What about Fiora?" Lark asks to inquire.

"She flew off to Edessa to get reinforcements. I'll explain more as we get out of here! We have to break west now!" Farina reaches out Lark. "You'll ride with me, come on."

Flare jumps onto Anna's Pegasus in response to Lark getting onto Farina's Pegasus. Farina, Adia, and Anna then fly off west with the opening Farina made.

"Sir!" a soldier says. "Three Pegasus were spotted flying west while one was spotted flying east! The one flying east easily brushed off any arrows shot at her as if they were nothing!"

"So we seem to have underestimated the number we were against. I noticed there was a second experienced Pegasus flying around which alone had me concerned about this battle using only fresh recruits." Daruck paces back and forth. "Let us retreat for now. The objective was met that we burned down the area. I'm sure we'll meet them again to finish this."

* * *

><p>All the neck shots: Well i'm assuming soldiers wear armor, even if its basic, so aiming for the neck is the most lethal place to aim for. I'm going to hate knights and generals later on though ._.<p>

Bag of javelins: Well you need to carry them somehow... javelins are light too since you have to throw them, i figured they are just considered heavy cause you carry so many of them.


	4. Chapter 4: Duel Soldiers

Been a while, but I keep this story in my mind a lot. I don't want to rush myself, so with the little time i have available to spare I worked on it. XD this is what I get for starting a story at the beginning of a semester. Anyways enjoy~ Do point out any mistakes I make so I can correct them fast.

* * *

><p>Lark and Flare narrowly escape a sudden ambush from solders. Farina hastily brings them to a Remi where they now discuss where these soldiers came from…<p>

The young members of the group are sitting in an Inn waiting for Farina to return from the castle. Adia takes this moment to talk to Anna privately.

"Anna, your performance in the last battle was unsatisfactory." Adia bluntly says.

"I know sis… I panicked, my Pegasus followed in suit in panicking… I just was expecting you and Flare to protect me like always." Anna says a bit disappointed in herself.

"I can't keep repeating this Anna." Adia sighs "You even gave that declaration to mother you wouldn't need protecting anymore."

"I know… easier said than done" Anna trails off.

"Don't try to avoid me now!" Adia gets a bit angry.

The door opens and Farina walks in. Adia walks up to her instantly.

"What where those soldiers doing here, attacking us?" Adia asks Farina.

"Their motive is fairly unclear, but Fiora and I deduced they were soldiers from Bern and why they are here."

"B-Bern!" The strongest nation?" Anna stutters.

"What would Bern be doing Ilia?" Adia says. Lark has a troubled look on his face as he thinks.

"Listen up! This will be hard to take in." Farina takes a deep breath. Everyone silently listens to what Farina says next. "They're after Aaria."

"Aaria?" Adia and Anna say in unison.

"Why would they be after their elder sister?" Flare asked with disbelief.

"She was assigned a mission where she attacked Bern's forces recently. Fiora was worried about her, but had high hopes since she is part of the second wing. Because they were attacking Bern, the pay was doubled of the normal pay, at 12,000 gold!" Farina says with admiration.

"But, why would they attack mercenaries? They should attack those who hired the mercenaries." Flare objectively thought aloud.

"You would think that, but Ilia has a strong partnership with Etruria." Lark states "Bern has no need to hire fliers when they have their own wyverns."

"Very true… still it's unclear why they would go to the trouble to eliminate the Pegasus Wings" Farina says. "They'd have to travel… wait they control the Sacae plains now don't they?" Farina realizes.

"Yes, Bern has made military camps at the borders in Sacae. The nomads have no hope to drive them out, so they mainly just hide in a hidden village the Bern soldiers can't keep track off." Lark states to confirm Farina's statement.

"The plains, just thinking how calm the scene was when we traveled there makes me wonder how badly Bern has ruined it." Flare says.

"So Lark, you've traveled in Sacae?" Anna asks. Lark gives a disgruntled look as he realizes he didn't want that brought up.

"Yes, I have traveled in Sacae, with my father. It was more broadening of my horizons to help me strategize more." Lark says a bit reluctant.

"How does traveling help you strategize?" Anna asks.

"I'm basically…" Lark pauses to think "learning others' fighting style and then see how they fair in battle. Certain styles beat out other styles, in general it depends on your weapon, but some weapons are exceptions, like Flare's halberd." Lark starts getting comfortable talking "It's actually a good experience for me watching you guys fight. I've never actually seen Pegasus knights fight. Flare is a unique fighter too, using a lance like an axe. And well, directing you guys back there is the first real situation I've ever been in. I would do exercises with my father, but the real deal is so much more…" Lark pauses to think of the right word "intense is really all I can say. I just have a rush in my head as a wrong move might someone killed but, I enjoy reading the enemy and breaking their tactics."

"I've always just charged in and worked from there" Flare says. "I just rely on reaction, but seeing Lark's strategy added to it, it really made a difference. While my reaction still plays a big part, they don't get as many chances to counter attack me now!" Flare pats Lark's shoulder "You do your part real well, so don't worry about feeling bad if something goes wrong."

Knocking is heard on the door. Farina opens the door to be greeted by a messenger.

"I've been summoned to the castle guys, I'll be back, don't do anything reckless!" Farina goes with the messenger to the castle.

Nearby on the streets of Remi.

"Alright men, listen up! I will be making a visit to castle Remi to enlist Ilian mercenaries for another scouting mission around the border of Sacae" says the commanding man in blue silver armor. "Until I return, you are to practice your jousting! After this scouting mission, you soldiers shall be promoted out of cadets."

"Sir!" says the group of trainees. The commanding figure leaves towards the castle.

"I don't get why we had to come all the way to Ilia" murmurs a soldier.

"Yea! Why do we need to come to this frozen wasteland?" says another.

"Why do we need to hire the likes of girly knights to watch over us? We should be watching over them!" says a rather large soldier with two henchmen friends behind him. Many soldiers nod their heads in agreement. "I bet I can beat them all in a duel!" the soldier raises his lance in the air. In the middle of raising it, a young man bumps his elbow causing him to drop his lance.

"What am I going to do now?" the inattentive man thinks allowed. "I've been expelled from the army… So now I have no place to go… I'm in enemy territory though I guess they aren't enemies anymore, I'm just neutral… Fighting is probably what I'm best at but I'm too scared of dying that I'd be a terrible mercenary"

"Who do you think you're bumping into" says the large intimidating figure who was bumped into. He grabs onto the inattentive man's neck and lightly chokeholds him up.

"I'm… sorry!" said the scared man gasps for air.

"Sorry isn't enough for Darryl!" says one of Darryl's henchman.

"You wear armor and carry a lance…" Darryl notices "I am Darryl, the strongest of the cadets here! Now to engrave in your head to not make this mistake again" Darryl throws the man to the ground "We duel now!"

"Another bully…" the man mutters as soldiers and onlookers surround Darryl and the man to watch the duel.

Darryl grips his lance with both hands and dashes towards the man. The man side steps out of the way at the last moment. Darryl stops and turns around and dashes again towards the man. The man side steps again more fluidly this time, Darryl charges just on by missing him with a grin on his face. He turns around and charges yet again. The man, fully confident this time, goes to side step but then at that moment he trips and falls down on his side. He looks up to see Darryl charging full speed at him with his lance aimed at his head. The man closes his eyes and looks away. But instead of what he thought would have happened, he opens his eyes to see Flare holding back Darryl.

"Don't interfere, this is a duel!" Darryl gnarls.

"I saw your friend trip this guy, so I thought I'd lend a hand to this guy" Flare smirks.

"Oyi, Flare, why do you always jump into anything?" Adia says coming up to Flare.

"You Ilians think you can handle Darryl, the strongest of cadets of Etruria?" Darryl boastfully says.

"Oh mighty Etrurian, how swell of you to grace us with your presence" Anna says flying in.

"Tch… If you guys are going to play dirty can gang up then I'll do the same! Men! We got some troublemakers trying to screw with us here!" Darryl spouts. Soldiers that either are afraid of or agree with Darryl start gathering behind him. "You scared now, fools?" Darryl grins cockily.

"If you were any component maybe, but right now you just look like a big group of unorganized soldiers." Lark says arriving finally.

"Oyi, Lark took you long enough!" Flare says "Though I was going to have to wing it for a second."

"I had to assess the surroundings, give me a break. You, big guy, think you can actually win?" Lark taunts Darryl.

"Put your weapons up! My group is twice your size! And one of your guys doesn't even fight!" Darryl says arrogantly with a hint of nervousness.

"Let's not allow the city to get damaged now," Adia says, Lark nods at her.

"Let's go then!" Lark directs Flare, Adia, and Anna to their starting points.

"Get them guys!" Darryl orders the soldiers behind him to prevent them from reaching him.

"Um…" says the man who was completely forgotten.

"Oh you, you can leave now, I thought you ran off to safety" Lark tells him.

"I'll help you guys. You guys did save me from an untimely end to me."

"Well, sure then, just follow what I say then." Lark directs the man where to start but then asks real quick "What's your name?"

"I'm Brando, I'm a…" He stops and thinks real quick "a wandering freelancer" says Brando.

"I got a nice mission for you, go around the back…" Lark whispers Brando his plan.

Flare runs up to a soldier and swings his halberd. The soldier blocks it, but Flare slides his halberd down his lance to cut the soldiers hand. The soldier drops his lance, then Flare dashes behind the soldier and slaps the pole end of his halberd on the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious. Two soldiers charge towards Flare. Anna and Adia take the opportunity to throw javelins at them. Seeing the javelins, the soldiers jump out of the way, but they jump into each other and crash into the ground one on top of the other. Flare walks up to them and slams their helmets with his halberd, knocking them out. Three soldiers this time charge towards Flare, Anna, and Adia. Adia and Anna fly up while Flare stands alone in a defensive stance. The soldiers all lunge at Flare. Flare makes a sweep with his halberd scooping all three soldiers off their feet. Anna and Adia fly in and slam into two of the soldiers that are falling midair sending them flying back out cold. The last remaining soldier lands on his head and Flare kicks him to lay flat on the ground. Flare looks towards Lark and gives him a thumbs up. Lark nods and comes up to them and they head to the strongest of the soldiers together.

Darryl starts to shake after witnessing how fast his soldiers went down. He turns around and before he could even take a step he jumps back as Brando is there pointing his lance at him.

"Going somewhere?" Brando confidently says "I thought you were the one who wanted to duel one on one anyways?" Brando starts to walk up to him.

"Stay away! You d-don't know w-what you're getting y-yourself into!" Darryl stutters trying to sound intimidating.

"Here is a real lance charge!" Brando charges towards Darryl. Darryl swings his lance wildly in fear. Brando squats suddenly and then, to keep his momentum going, dives forward into a somersault and lands on his feet in front of Darryl and shoves Darryl back with his lance. Darryl stumbles from being pushed back and falls on his behind. Brando dashes towards him and gives one hard stomp onto Darryl's torso, then slowly puts his lance towards Darryl's neck.

"I win" Brando says as he gets off him and walks away. Darryl gets up slowly but stands with one hand on his knees and the other holding his lance.

"Impudent fool… You don't know… who you're messing with… I'll get Etruria… all over… you…" Darryl coughs.

"Chop!" Flare lightly bonks Darryl on the head with his halberd and Darryl falls down to the ground "Looks like you handled him just fine, as I expected," Flare nods.

"Why did you help me?" Brando turns around and to face them. "I'm just a stranger, not even an Ilian that you'd have to feel compelled to help me!"

"Stranger or no, I just stand for what I think is right" Flare smirks "I just don't like watching a fake duel."

"Flare likes to jump into action because he likes to hog it for himself." Adia says.

"You wound me Adia," Flare sighs.

"For someone who gets discouraged easily you managed to fight a bully pretty easily," Lark says.

"Well… I just know someone scarier," Brando gives a half-hearted laugh reminiscing.

"Well let's head back the inn guys," Flare says.

"Before you go, are you guys traveling by any chance?" Brando asks.

"Well, we are heading to Lycia, you have travels plans yourself?" Flare replies.

"I am just a wandering freelancer, but I have no sense of direction. So if I travel with you guys, I'll reach Lycia, which sounds like a good idea to me since I would probably not make it there alone," Brando says slowly.

"We'll have to ask Aunty first now won't we?" says Anna.

"Let's just head back to the inn and wait for Farina then," Lark says. Everyone nods and they head to the inn.

The commanding man finally returns with Farina walking next to him. He sees half his platoon is unconscious. "What happened here?" asked the man. A soldier walks up to him to report.

"Darryl tried to duel some local Ilians and forced some of the others to fight with him." He reports "The other half just practiced jousting as you asked, sir!"

"That brazen fellow really gets in over his head doesn't he? Well what's the damage report? I'll have to go make amends at the castle."

"Ilians are no slouch! He best remember that when he wakes up!" Farina says puffing her chest out.

One of the soldiers starts to regain consciousness. He sits up while holding his head up due to a sharp headache.

"You, soldier, what happened?" says the commanding figure.

"General Percival… Owww" the soldier clutches his head harder "Darryl… he had intimidated me into fighting for him… I thought I was dead for sure fighting that pirate and Pegasus knights… Their formation was phenomenal… The last thing I remember… was getting smacked in the head with a long pole…" the soldier starts coughing.

Farina starts giving an uneasy look.

"What's wrong, Farina?" general Percival looks towards Farina.

"Sounds like my son and nieces were causing trouble again, ehehe…" Farina gives off a light fake laugh.

"Well then" Percival says with a surprise "Hopefully my army will respect our bodyguards this time," Percival gives off a laugh.

"Doesn't look like anything got damaged surprisingly," Farina says looking around.

"The soldiers all seem alive too," Percival says while checking on other unconscious soldiers. "Your relatives are skillful to manage that."

"Must have been Lark," Farina says.

"Lark…" Percival slowly says looking up.

"Take me to him right away." Percival says with an intense look on his face.


	5. Chapter 4x: Duel Monster

Hello readers, here is a surprise twist for you all :D

I wasn't time pressed but I did a lot of thinking on how to progress with the story. Again, do point out any mistakes so I can correct them swiftly, don't really get any peer reading done here.

* * *

><p>Pherae is a prosperous region of Lycia. Lord Eliwood, the Marquess Pherae, is a benevolent leader to his people. Roy, Eliwood's son, has been diligently studying under the care of Marcus on becoming the next Marquess. A special visitor appears…<p>

"Roy!" Eliwood calls out to his son "Your new sensei has arrived." A woman with green hair stands next to Eliwood.

"It is an honor to have you has my sensei, General Cecilia" Roy bows to his sensei.

"The pleasure is mine," the Cecilia bows slightly "Shall we get started?"

"Yes! The sooner, the better!" Roy says enthusiastic. Cecilia and Roy walk, eventually reaching a training room.

"Show me what you know on that dummy there," Cecilia points to a dummy.

Roy strikes the dummy skillfully multiple times.

"So you can strike a dummy well, have you sparred before?"

"Yes, sensei, I've sparred with my father and some of the knights of Pherae." Roy says.

"There are many fighting styles out there Roy," Cecilia says while pulling open a tome. "Have you ever experienced magic?"

"I know someone who can use magic, but I'd never fight her… So I have never engaged in battle with a magic user, but I've seen magic." Roy says.

"Well we start somewhere, come at me!"

Cecilia uses a basic fire spell and sends a fireball towards Roy. Roy ducks under it, but when he stood straight, another fireball was on its way and Roy had no time to react. Roy is knocked to his back from that fireball.

"A sloppy dodge, it took too much time to recovery from it." Cecilia says bluntly. "You need to move fluidly to fight. You are only used to how Pherae fights. That will not save you when you really engage in battle. You will be fighting against styles of fighting you've never seen before."

Roy nods and grips his blade. Cecilia holds her free hand towards Roy and launches more fireballs. Roy sidesteps the first one, jumps back to avoid the second one. The third fireball comes but Roy didn't have his bearings right and slips back and falls down.

"Not the most graceful way to dodge, but you didn't get hit." Cecilia chuckles. "Mages have to recover after one iteration of spell casting, so while you are on your back, you wouldn't be in much danger if that was to dodge the last bits of a spell."

Roy gets up and nods again. "However I said much" Cecilia continues to say, and then sends a quick fireball to knock Roy back onto his back. "There are some ways to deal with such a tactic to make it dangerous to ever end up on your back by a mage." Cecilia says as she switches to a different page on her tome. She tend places her hand on the ground reciting a spell. Roy then notices a red circle appear around him and he springs up out of the circle as an Elfire pillar rises up. "Well done." Cecilia gives a mischievous laugh.

"Here I come, sensei!" Roy says as he dashes towards Cecilia.

Cecilia throws more fireballs at Roy. Roy dashes past the first two fireballs then slides under the third fireball. Cecilia jumps over Roy then punches the ground. Roy springs himself up and looks around but doesn't notice any red circles that bring an Elfire out. Cecilia then sends out two more fireballs towards Roy. Roy didn't expect it and just ducks sloppily. Roy looks up and Cecilia is standing there with her hand at Roy's face holding one last fireball.

Cecilia smiles and says "While feints are pretty advanced, I just can't help myself." Cecilia then pushes Roy onto his back with her last fireball. "That should be enough for today, Roy. Let's go discuss with your father the travels plans now."

"Travel plans?" Roy says surprised as he gets up.

"Goodness, you expect to learn fighting without ever leaving the castle? Are you trying to live like a princess now?" Cecilia says a bit mocking but more sarcastically.

"No no, sensei! It is an honor to travel with you!" Roy bows his head.

Roy and Cecilia walk to the throne room of the castle. They are greeted by Eliwood when they arrive.

"Roy, looks like you learned a lot." Eliwood says as he hugs his son.

"Yes, father, I did. Cecilia sensei is very insightful." Roy says.

"I've sent word to Ostia about resupplying you two during you travels. Marquess Ostia will welcome you two and give you adequate accommodations."

The castle bell alarms go off. Pherae soldiers start rushing into the throne room.

"What is going on?" Eliwood yells out.

"An intruder has broken into the castle, sir!" one soldier reports.

"Hmmm…" Eliwood starts to think. "Call it off! Someone is just having…" Eliwood feels a nudge "Fun."

Behind Eliwood, there stood a short girl wearing a bandana over her head with some of her lavender bangs sneaking out of it. She surprisingly held an axe as big as her towards Eliwood.

"Good to see you again, Sol" Eliwood cheerfully says.

"Don't sound too happy! Your soldiers can't even keep track of a little girl. How would they, dare say, deal with an assassin?" Sol smirks.

"Where is your father?" Eliwood asks "I did ask for his assistance escorting my boy now."

"You know us pirates, we like to play a little game before helping out!" a man yells from the entrance of the throne room as he walked in with a grin on his face.

"Dart, old friend! Pleased to see you again," Eliwood says.

"Eliwood, it's been a while." Dart says "Seems you're in need of pirate help yet again? You sure you are a noble, right?"

"Nobody knows the seas like you do, Dart," Eliwood says "You've been just about everywhere."

"Thanks to you though, I got to travel everywhere for the past 20 years. Opened my eyes our travel together. Think of this as a returning the favor, Eliwood. I'll escort your son across the sea from Badon to Ryerde, then all the way to Ostia." Dart says.

"We are set to leave now," Cecilia comes into the conversation "Is that a problem?"

"We didn't even get to play our little game yet." Dart grins.

"Father, I have a request." Sol asks Dart, Dart looks at her. "I want to spar with the Pherae Boy!"

"Haha, my daughter sure loves to fight, fine then, I'll settle with that as our little game." Dart laughs.

"I find this an adequate way to see what you know, Roy" Cecilia turns to Roy "I will gauge your ability from this."

"I accept!" Roy says.

Sol jumps from the throne to right in front of Roy with her axe out pointing towards him. "Hehe, I hope noble boys know how to fight!"

"Before we start, I'm curious about your weapon choice. May I have a hold at it?" Roy reaches out his hand. Sol hands her axe to Roy and he falls to ground trying to hold it. "By Father Sky, this axe is so heavy. How can you hold it so easily?"

Sol goes to pick up her axe, and as she picks it up, the wristbands on her wrists sparkle.

"Those are…" Roy says looking at her wristbands "Energy rings are they not? I have never seen two so big!"

"Hehe, it is true I am relying on items to give me strength, but fighting is more than just brute strength. I'm sure you know that already." Sol says resting her axe on her shoulder.

"Can I feel them? I've always wondered about those artifacts that boosted ability." Roy asks.

"Eh!" Sol responds surprised "Um… sure" Sol holds out her hands. Roy reaches out and gently rubs against the energy rings.

"Such authentic artifacts! I can feel the strength surging in me just from touching them." Roy exclaimed "I can see now even how a pretty girl like you can hold such a heavy weapon now."

Sol pulls her hands back embarrassed "You had your feel… let's fight now!"

Roy nods and gets into battle stance.

"I'll mediate this spar!" Cecilia announces "Are you guys ready?" They nod "BEGIN!"

Sol swings her axe at Roy's side. He pushes the axe away with his sword. Sol keeps the momentum from the push and spins a full 360 to strike on his other side. Roy rolls out of the way, narrowly avoiding the swing. Sol chases after Roy with a chop swing. Roy sidesteps but before he could counterattack, Sol jumps at him and kicks Roy back. Sol dashes at Roy, Roy braces himself to avoid Sol's next attack. Sol just continues charging at Roy. Roy feels a sweat drop behind him as Sol still hasn't done anything besides charge closer at him… closer… Roy quickly puts his hands out to grab Sol by the shoulders to hold back Sol charging at him. Sol continues to press forward while Roy attempts to hold her back but Roy continues to be pushed back. Sol grins and then swings her axe at the open Roy who has occupied both his hands at just holding her back.

Everyone around gives an astonished look at what happens. Roy flips over Sol to avoid the swing and manages to graze Sol's back while swinging over her. Sol ignores the slight pain and continues charging towards Roy. With no blood coming out of Sol's back, Roy concludes he only managed enough to bruise her. Roy dashes towards Sol as well to catch her off guard. To Roy's surprise, Sol quickly halts, impales the ground with the top of her axe and holds it there. Everyone but Dart is wondering what she is doing. Sol bends down and the moment Roy got in vicinity to strike, Sol pushes herself into the air, with such a high jump everyone is just baffled at how a girl holding an axe can jump higher than someone's height. Roy runs to avoid Sol being able to fall and swing at him, but Sol swings her free hand in the opposite direction of Roy and she gets sends herself flying towards Roy. Sol slams into the unsuspecting Roy running away. Sol stands on Roy's back with one foot. Sol doesn't hold her axe out just yet, she savors the moment.

"Just how much power does that girl have?" A by standing solider says.

"How can you punch THE AIR?" another one says.

"Your daughter is quite the terror, Dart" Eliwood says with a stern look on his face.

"She does all these crazy things. I'm surprised she can be resourceful like this." Dart says scratching his head.

"It's quite the show too. Your daughter looks just like Florina 20 years ago! It's such a shock to see that same face being so aggressive." Eliwood says with a nostalgia look in his eyes.

"Unbelievable." Roy says "Such power…"

Sol holds her axe in the air. Suddenly, her energy rings start emitting a red light. Sol brings down her hand to look at the light emitting out. As she looked, Roy tries to get up. Sol puts more force with her foot on him, but Roy stands up abruptly.

"I feel… revitalized." Roy says looking at his hands.

Roy dashes towards Sol, Sol does a chop swing. It was too fast that Roy wasn't even in range so Sol slams her axe into the ground. A crater is seen where Sol struck. Sol gasps at the increase in power she has. Everyone around can't believe what just happened either. Roy attempts to catch the moment with a quick swing with his sword. Sol realizes Roy made a swing but couldn't being her axe up in time so she does the first thing that came to her mind and catches Roy's sword with her bare hand and pulls it out of Roy's hand and throws it aside. She then points her axe towards Roy.

"This fight is over!" Cecilia says cutting in "Let me see your hand!" Cecilia grabs Sol's hand that grabbed Roy's sword. "Impossible…" Cecilia trembles for a bit. "Pristine… not a single cut… or bruise on her hand… what kind of… inhuman power…"

"It was her energy rings" Roy says. "It probably was hard for you guys to see, but I was right there, her power increase happened the moment her energy rings started glowing a bit brighter."

Sol looks at her energy rings, they had no glow anymore. Sol swings her axe in the open air.

"The power is gone." Sol says. She then collapses to her knees. "My energy… I feel like I have been fighting for days." Sol says as Dart comes and picks her up and rests her on his shoulders. She closes her eyes shortly after saying that and sleeps on her father.

"Those energy rings are quite dangerous. I don't think you should risk your daughter wearing them anymore, Dart." Cecilia says with a concerned but serious face.

"This girl is stubborn." Darts says laughing "She'd rather die fighting than just be holed up. She just loves to be in the action."

"And you are just going to let her life be in danger?" Cecilia objects.

"Her life is always in danger just being with me." Dart slaps his chest "Being the legend I am, people are always looking for a squeeze on me."

"But…"

"I've said what I need to say. I'll be outside waiting for you and the boy." Dart turns around and walks out.

"Roy, how are you feeling?" Eliwood asks his son.

"My hand… is still shaking. The power difference that I felt right then when she tore my sword out of my hand. It was scary." Roy says clenching his fist "I can't let that happen again. I need more discipline father." Eliwood hugs his son.

"Son… I never felt so afraid before. When I saw that crater, I thought I was going to lose you just then." Eliwood says with tears coming out. "Forgive me, son. I just can't stand the thought of you dying before me."

"Father, I promise, I will come home back alive!" Roy declares with determination.

"Let's go Roy!" Cecilia shouts.

"Before you go son, I need you to deliver a letter for me to a person in Ostia." Roy hands him a letter "The recipient is on the letter. Go on, my son." Eliwood calmly says.

Roy waves to his father as he left the throne room. He looks at the letter.

To: Lark

* * *

><p>Couple things to mention<p>

It is called Chapter 4x because it is happening the same time as Chapter 4. I use am using this notation to help give you readers emphasis on how things are happening at the same time in two different areas.

and..

Sol is a loli too.


	6. Chapter 5: Muscle your way through!

Chapter 5: Muscle your way through!

Here I am going along with life and like most people who do anything in this life, i was checking my email and loe and behold someone went and followed my story, 3 years after being inactive or so. I'm like "man, what dis guy by be thinking following an inactive story? He think I'm gonna start writing again cause he followed me?" Well you damn right I'm gonna try writing some more xD. TBH I stopped mentality writing this story and moved onto an original story. But I thought might as well write some more here for practice and incorporate some of this story into my original one. Anyways, I still remember the general gist of this story but obviously I don't remember everything i planned so some plot holes might come :s Also some character's personalities might change since I sort of forgot what I where going with them.

* * *

><p>From Remi to the outskirts of Etruria, the first step of escorting Lark to Ostia has begun. Before reaching the first mountain area, the Percival's squad of cadets and Flare's group stop at a pit stop at a church of Saint Elimine.<p>

Lark wakes up a little bit before sunrise in the room he was provided. He looks right and sees Flare sleeping soundly. He looks straight and sees the curtain separating the men and the women. He looks left and sees Brando curled up like a ball in his sleep. Being the only one awake he has a flashback.

"So you are Lark?" Percival asks.

"That is my given name, yes." Lark cautiously says.

"It seems you are separated... That is unfortunate." Percival gives a light sigh.

"A mother bird will push her child out of the nest so it can learn how to fly." Lark speaks in proverb.

"Oh? Interesting... Very interesting. Well then child, if you are learning to fly, let me make that cliff steeper for you. How about you direct my cadet squad for the offense we are going to launch?"

"What?" Lark blinks a bit in shock.

"If you are his son, I know your potential. A stimulus will easily bring it out." Percival says quite sure of himself.

"But-!" Lark tries to protest but a messenger arrives.

"Hmm, if I wasn't pressed for time, I would speak to you further. I will seek another audience with you when time permits me to." Percival turns around and leaves with his messenger.

Coming back to the present. Lark burrows his forehead in his arms in stress of the situation trusted at him. Lark gets up and exits the room hoping to get some fresh air. Walking in the lobby of the church, he waves at the cleric at the front signaling he is going out for a bit. The cleric nods and Lark walks outside.

Outside, Lark peers at the surroundings and sees the trees and the mountain behind the trees. Quite an interesting spot to have a church basically at the border of two regions. Lark makes note of the lay out of the terrain as he runs stimulate battle sequences that he has been drilled into thinking about since his childhood.

"Man all I think about is battle, but I am too nervous about the real deal!" Lark exclaims loudly and then kicks a nearby rock into a tree that causes some birds to fly up.

"Now now, we all are nervous in the beginning." a girl's voice is heard behind the tree.

"Eep!" Lark flinches as he didn't think anyone heard him.

A girl walks from behind the tree towards Lark. Her long blue hair sparkled in the sunrise that just started. As if she was the one blinding Lark instead of the sun, Lark shields his eyes while looking at the girl walking towards him.

"Men must say its not fair for you to remain in a church" Lark states outright.

"My, such the smooth talker i see." the girl chuckles a bit.

"Small talk isn't exactly my strong suit so I just say what comes to mind." Lark turns his head away a little in embarassment.

"My name is Nira" the girl says introducing herself "What might your name be?"

"It might be Lark" Lark says jokingly.

"Hahaha, you are rich in humor I see" Nira puts her hand on his chest to contain herself from laughing too much.

"Not really..." Lark mutters to himself.

"You seem stressed there Lark, why the long face?" Nira probes at Lark's obvious behavior.

"Having responsibility shoved into your face suddenly does that to a person." Lark gloomily says looking down and kicking the ground lightly.

"All part of growing up," Nira smiles and tilts her head slightly.

"So are you a cleric?" Lark asks wanting changing the subject.

"... why yes i am." Nira says hesitant at first. Lark takes note of that.

"Part of the reason coming here was to also recruit some healers while we journeyed. So I might be seeing you again." Lark says while turning to walk back to the church. Nira waves her goodbye.

Entering the church after sunrise, it looks much more lively compared to when he left before. Many clerics, priests and monks are seen moving around. Lark turns to the same cleric who saw him leave, nods that he is going back to his room, and she nods back. Lark walks toward his room but runs into Percival.

"Ah, the man I was just looking, Lark!" Percival says a bit joyful.

"Ah... the man who dug a hole at the bottom of a cliff for me," Lark says a bit slowly.

"I do what I can to help with growth!" Percival says patting Lark on the shoulder pretty hard causing him to flinch a little.

"When are we expected to resume our journey?" Lark asks.

"We are still working out on who we bring along from the church. Not only that, we are also resupplying ourselves. The best course of action to leave after lunch so we are full in our stomachs to march a long distance without a break."

"I have a suggestion to make."

"Speak." Percival is all ears.

"Do not recruit the girl named Nira." Lark says a bit lower in volume but not at a whisper.

"Hmm? What is your reason?" Percival asks with an eyebrow raised.

"She cannot heal, therefore would be detrimental if you pick her as a healer. She is more adept at light magic, as I noticed her hiding a book. I assume she spends her mornings before anyone is awake to practice it as that's the only safe time to do so without getting caught." Lark states.

"Interesting, you don't normally hear of a woman in a church who only uses light magic." Percival gives off a mischievous look.

"Please don't bring her, I am uncomfortable around her." Lark gets personal with his suggestion.

"Done and done, she is now joining." Percival laughs as he turns around and walks away.

"I cannot ask this man for help," Lark says putting the palm of his hand to his face.

Brando wakes up and just lies there instead of getting up. He starts reflecting on situation since its been a while since he slept nicely.

"What be on ye mind, bucko?" Flare speaks as if to toy with Brando.

"Meep!" Brando gets stiff from the sudden pirate speak as well as from being interrupted from his thoughts.

"Just kidding, my pirate speak is artificial... " Flare says looking out the window in the room "I've lived too proper to have the time to make it natural."

"Eheh..." Brando tries to laugh to not be awkward, but fails at that.

"I was born in Badon, raised in Ostia. I never got to spend too much time with my parents as I was sent to a boarding school in Ostia, for nobles nonetheless! Me! In a noble school just for being the nephew of the Marquess." Flare babbles on about himself trying to make Brando a bit more comfortable. "I didn't get to spend much time with my parents. My lineage was questionable to the nobles of the school and some even protested against me going there due to my parents. But the Marquess dealt with them and had me go to the school. Due to this, I'm technically... able to inherit the throne. That has always left a bad taste in my peers' mouth so I've been pretty much an outcast there."

Brando is silent from this monologue from Flare. He feels he'd be able to connect with Flare now and opens up.

"My parents are fierce knights who served their lords to their last breath. All their glory and fame put so much expectation on me... I just feel pressure everywhere and I'm just a coward not a knight who can serve his lord."

Flare closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before speaking. "I endured, I found a friend in the Marquess's daughter, my cousin. She was friendly towards me since we were related, and so I pretty much retained my sanity cause she was there to calm me down. I managed to fight my way through the ranks. I ended up being the best at combat, unmatched in my ability to use a halberd."

"..." Brando is silent.

Flare holds his hand out "You just gotta keep calm and push forward with your strength, matey" Flare adds a little pirate speak at the end as a joke. Brando extends his hand and grabs Flare's hand. Flare pulls him up and then he pats his shoulder. "Now I'm not saying you need a girl to give you strength, but you need a friend that can support you when you need to lean on someone."

"Thanks..." Brando says quietly but a bit happy.

"You touch my sisters, and I'll kill you." Flare adds one last remark. Brando feels a sweat drop from Flare sudden severity in speech.

Lunch rolls around and Percival and Lark are discussing who to bring along as a healer.

"Since you are so insistent on bringing Nira along, we'll have to bring a troubadour to be able to quickly go from one person to another since we can't split into two groups effectively." Lark says.

"A troubadour? Those are a rare breed you find only noblewomen being able to afford such feats as a horse a lot of money." Percival shakes his head "You will not find a troubadour in a church."

"Arrgh we we have too many people for only one person to heal all of them in the middle of battle," Lark says pulling his hair out with one hand.

"You really look stressed, Lark. I see gray hairs already growing on you." Percival says. Lark puts his head onto the table. "Lemmie get you a session with someone who knows how to relieve the body."

"Huh?" Lark looks up confused.

"Etruria has done some interesting studies that try to find ways to heal the body without using magic. This one is really interesting as it doesn't heal you but it does relieve stress." Percival gets up and talks to a messenger. Shortly after he comes back, Percival nods towards him then beckons Lark to come to him.

"What is it?" Lark asks.

"Take this man to him." Percival says to his messenger.

"Sir!" the solider salutes then asks Lark to follow him. Lark listens and follows.

Lark enters a room with a long bed in the middle of the room.

"Lie down on your belly, patient," said a voice. Lark feels a chill but sits down onto the bed then lies down on his belly.

Lark then sees a fairly large man walk out of the shadows. Muscles are protroding out his body which intimidates Lark at first but he takes a glup and braces himself.

"Let us begin!" The man says quite powerfully.

The man places his hands on the shoulders of Lark. Lark closes his eyes to endure any pain better. The man then squeezes Lark's shoulders quite hard but to Lark's surprise it wasn't hard enough to hurt but hard enough to feel but the pressure was feeling good.

"What is this...?" Lark questions in the middle of the process.

"We Etrurians call it... a massage." The man says dramatically.

"Hmm... " Lark goes into deep thought while the man finishes up the massage.

Afterwards, Lark runs to Percival as he has an idea.

"General Percival, I've figured out how to deal with our healer situation." Lark says a bit excited.

"How so?" Percival smirks.

"Just bring out that man to give out massages for the healer. It will reinvigorate anyone to work twice as hard." Lark says.

"Good, good. The king of Etruria wanted me to do a test run using him anyways." Percival nods to himself.

"..." Lark face palms cause Percival knew all along.

"We also still will have two healers as well as taking along the Nira girl you so love." Percival says jokingly at the end. "Our recons brought back that there are 3 forts to infiltrate, so the church agreed to give us 3 healers, 1 for each fort. On another note, you don't have to refer to me as General. Just 'Sir' will do since I am not your general." Percival adds before leaving to gather the troops.

Lark feels a strong urge to slam his head on a wall for stressing out over nothing after hearing the news of the healer situation.

Percival is speaking to his cadets. Flare's group is also there but standing on the side.

"Listen up, maggots, we are about to go on our first offense at this point on the map. Across the mountain range, Bern has set up one of many camps for supplies. It has few guards, so if we can sneak undetected to them we can deal a blow to their supply unit. Not only that, you will gain some vital combat experience you won't be able to experience in practice. Now then, we shall we under the guidance of this man here, Lark!" Percival steps aside to reveal Lark who was standing behind him the entire time. Lark gives a weak wave to the cadets.

"This guy was part of the group that Darryl got beat up by." One cadet said to another.

"Hehehe, Darryl is gonna have a blast" another cadet said.

Lots of murmuring can be heard, mainly about how Darryl took a beating.

"Shut up! I will show you all during this offense the power of Darryl!" Darryl yells fist bumping his chest. The murmuring stops after that remark. Percival slams the butt end of his lance onto the ground. The cadets quickly face forward quiet.

"Ahem, now then. The plan of action if to have you guys just go through this path clearing in between these two mountains during the nightfall. There will be small groups of soldiers in each fort that is on the path but they won't gather together unless there is a signal on top of the mountains, and they won't otherwise see you guys until its too late and you've overrun the fortress."

"What about the signals on top of the mountain? Its not like they are gonna sleep on the job." One cadet remarks.

"I'm getting to that. The pegasus knights that kindly came to help you guys, will fly to each mountain killing whoever is on the look out. Its kind of risky since the reports say there is an archer on a ballista on each of the mountain tops. It will be fine though. In a one-on-one duel, an archer won't have time to counterattack once even if a pegasus knight gets in his face."

"They really went all out by putting ballistas on the top of mountains..." Adia says.

"Tsk, I'm not even doing anything" Flare pouts.

"There are 3 forts along the way, I will assign you guys into three groups and discuss strategy for breaking in after you guys group up." Lark then steps aside to go form groups.

After much effort to split the groups up, Lark split the groups into the cadets who didn't fight against him, the cadets who followed Darryl, and Flare's group with the addition of Nira and the massage guy. Farina will oversee the cadets who didn't fight against him, Percival will oversee the cadets who followed Darryl, and Lark would accompany Flare's group. Lark then stands again in front of everyone to discuss breaking into the forts.

"After reviewing the layouts provided to me about the forts, this is the best course of action I could come up with. Storming in from the front, majority of the soldiers inside won't be able to be ready in time until you already have taken control of the first floor as few soldiers will be awake keeping guard. The second and third floor will require some fighting. Once on the second floor, the enemy soldiers should be coming out all armored up to defend the rest of the fort. The second floor is where they store their weapons and armor, so most of the fighting will primary be on this floor. On the third floor, you'll be dealing with bedrooms mainly so any stragglers can be taken as prisoners of war. The key to this mission is securing the first floor as fast as possible. If reinforcements arrive on the first floor, then you took way to long and will have to kill all the soldiers instead of capturing most of them. The more soldiers we capture, the more manpower we have to slave around. I'm sure you don't want to be doing grunt work carrying everything around right? SO DO THIS RIGHT!" Lark finishes strongly after delivering his plan. Lark then walks to side where Flare's group is.

"Well said," Adia says.

"Anna and Adia, you took will join us in the last fortress after you take care of the archers on the mountains. Some word of advice, hide in the clouds of the fog in order to not be seen as you traverse through the skies. Keep note on the wind direction too as you don't want the clouds to fly away from you, leaving you open to be seen. If you guys go down, the mission is a complete failure as reinforcements will come from the supply fort. And more importantly, the sergeant resting in the supply fort will come and restore order of the soldiers which will ruin the plan of capturing the three forts simultaneously. We don't want to fight the sergeant, he's an experienced paladin" Lark says critically.

Adia and Anna nod and say "You can count on us!"

"A paladin you say..." Flare talks to himself.

Night falls and the group is standing just outside of the mountains.

"Alright from here Adia and Anna will go and clear out the archers on the mountains." Lark says "remember to stay in the fog!"

Adia and Anna fly off towards seperate mountains. There are six stationed archers, three for each to take care of. Adia flies swiftly through the clouds until reaching close to the mountain where she glides to reduce the noise of the wings. Upon being a close enough distance to charge at the first archer, Adia quickly accelerates forward with her lance in hand ready to strike. By the time the archer hears Adia approaching, he goes to grab and arrow but Adia strikes him bluntly knocking him down to his knees. Adia then does a vertical 360 loop and stabs the fallen solider on her descent, killing him. Adia then quickly flies off to the next mountain. She had to zigzags to stay in the fog but she eventually reached the second mountain and like the first solider, she repeats the simple double attack combo she did to the first solider. Upon arriving on the third mountain, she notices the archer is standing up with an arrow queued up in his bow. This is no average archer, Adia thought, so she decides to get even closer before rushing in. The archer then shoots an arrow and Adia quickly stops as the arrow flies where she would have been had she kept going. This guy has respectable eye sight, Adia thought. In the end she thinks it'd be best to go for a do or die charge and charges in as the archer is getting another arrow ready. Adia is about three lengths by the time the archer had another arrow ready, he stays calm and holds his position trying to bait out a dodge. Adia keeps going almost full speed ready to dodge. At two lengths away the archer feels the need to shoot and fires. Adia, knowing that was the closest he could let her get, then steers to the right as the arrow grazes by and slices the archer at his neck who accepted defeat at that point. With her three archers down, Adia flies towards the third fort to meet up with Lark.

Anna was flying through the clouds but was sometimes going in too deep into the clouds being overly cautious. Her first mission alone, so she was nervous, especially since it was against her natural enemy. Seeing the first mountain coming up, she grabs a javelin and remembers what her sister told her.

"You don't have the willpower to charge in like I do, so you will have to play a dangerous game, Anna" Adia says tying the bag of javelins to Anna's pegasus.

"Ehehe..." Anna feels sad from that remark and tries to laugh it off.

"You have a keen eye for accuracy, something you've always beat me in since we've been learning how to fight." Adia says praising her sister. "As long as the archers are fiddling with the ballistas and not holding their bow, you can get close enough to javelin toss them before they can react. With your skill and speed, you should be able to handle them in 2 tosses. Please Anna, you must succeed this time."

Anna finishes thinking about what Adia says. "Alright sister, here I go!"

Anna flies into from behind the archer who isn't paying much attention. Anna tosses two javelins at him and the archer dies effortlessly with both javelins landing square on his back. Anna does a triumphant pose and with the self confidence built up, flies off to the next mountain. Upon coming up to the second mountain, Anna notices this archer is more alert than the last one as he keeps changing directions periodically. Anna flies higher up then glides down when the archer turns around to face away from her. Once she is 2 lengths away, she tosses a javelin at the archer. Noticing she was off her aim, she then goes to fly around the mountain. The javelin grazes the archer and he turns around and focuses on the direction he felt the javelin came from. He pulls out his bow and readies and arrow. He's looking and looking but then he feels a stab from behind him and then goes limp. Anna then flies to the final mountain she was assigned. At the final mountain, Anna observes the archer just messing around with the ballista wasting some shots for fun. She flies cautiously since the archer is firing in random directions. The archer turns her way and she quickly flies to the left. The archer keeps going and then fires while turning. Anna takes this moment to fly in and finish the job. The archer doesn't even pay attention to Anna, and continues to spin his ballista around. Anna goes to strike his neck but the archer dodges it, or more accurately fell down to the ground. He starts throwing up and Anna feels disgusted looking at him. Anna then just tosses a javelin and gets a clean head shot on the archer who was clearly not doing his job. Anna flies towards the third fort to meet up with Lark as well.

Flare and Lark and the rest of the group are waiting nearby in the forest near the third fort. Adia arrives first to the scene.

"Reporting status of the mission, Lark," Adia formally speaks. "Mission was a complete success. No Irregularities to report of either."

"Standby and wait till Anna gets back." Lark replies in a similar manner.

"Understood," Adia leaves.

Flare is leaning his back on a tree with his eyes closed. Lark notices him and starts a conversation.

"Don't fall asleep now," Lark jokingly says.

"Please, I can't sleep till Anna returns." Flare replies back holding back any agitation he has.

"Big brother worrying over his little sister?" Lark teases Flare.

"Thinking back to at the house when she screamed for help, I can't help but be worried for her since I had to calm her down then," Flare sighs.

"All part of growing up," Lark says.

"Seems I left an impression on you," Nira says appearing on the scene.

"I take what good I run into," Lark quickly says, flustered at Nira's sudden appearance.

"Oyi, Lark. You failed to mention the cleric joining us is quite the beauty." Flare pats Lark's shoulder. "I see you are a man just like the rest of us," Flare grins at Lark.

"Ahem," Lark clears his throat mainly to change the subject, "Nira, you don't use staffs now, do you?"

"Ah, I've been found out." Nira says as if it doesn't matter anymore.

"Wait, then why did you recruit her?" Flare says taken aback.

"I trust our ability to not need a healer for this blitz. Healers don't exactly help in blitzing cause you have to maintain a formation to protect the healer. That will slow down the blitz way too fast," Lark says.

"So I'm going to be fighting instead?" Nira asks nonchalantly.

"Pretty much." Lark nods.

"How exactly will this blitz work?" Flare asks.

"Well, you will charge ahead of us and just rush straight to the stairs to secure it. Everyone else will kill any stragglers you leave behind. Once everyone is dead, we will head upstairs where we have to cut off the soldiers from the weapon storeroom. Once we siege their weapons they can't fight back." Lark explains.

"That's fine and dandy, but how exactly am I supposed to rush ahead of you guys? We can't exactly afford to wait for me to ahead." Flare is confused about Lark's plan.

"You'll see what will happen when we start. I can't explain it now." Lark brushes off the question.

Anna flies into view of Lark's group.

"Anna is coming down now!" Adia says bursting back into the scene.

"Perfect! You, messenger, go alert the other groups to start the siege!" Lark beckons the messenger to hurry and go.

"Reporting... status of the... mission... Lark" Anna says panting. She then falls off her pegasus and lies down where she fell. Her pegasus brushes his head on her. "Mission, success...!" Anna coughs.

"Good job, Anna," Adia smiles at her sister.

"Flare go assist Anna, we are getting into formation now."

Flare and the crew stand in front of the door to the fort.

"Okay, you still haven't told me how I'm gonna charge ahead from everyone without wasting so much time." Flare brings up that subject again.

"THIS IS WHERE I MAKE MY APPEARANCE!" the muscle man from before makes a dramatic appearance, jumping into the scene.

"I... wow," Flare is just surprised at entrance of the man.

"I shall invigorate you all with the energy of YOUTH!" The muscle man says while doing some flexing poses.

"What's going on out there?!" An enemy solider is heard from the inside.

"Quick, give Flare a back massage!" Lark quickly says.

"THESE TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN FOR GENERATIONS!" The muscle man says grabbing Flare and then works on his back.

"I, what, wow..." Flare was taken by surprise and didn't put up any resistance and by the time he could he was already feeling the effects of the massage. After many cracks are heard, the muscle man pats Flare on the back.

"Go onward brave youth!" the muscle man points towards the door.

"Charge!" Lark yells out.

The muscle man slams onto the door, forcing it open. Flare and the crew charge into the fort. Flare blitzes on ahead of the rest of the group.

"Intruders! Wake up everyone!" one solider yells.

"Where were the alarm from the archers? Were they busy goofing off again?" another solider asks.

Flare slices at the inattentive solider, chopping his head off.

"Whoa, they made it here already? What happened at the front?" the other solider there said.

"They are blitzing through! STOP THE GUY IN THE FRONT!" another solider yells out.

Three soldiers stand in the way of Flare. Flare jumps up into the air and twists back charging a swing.

"Raise the shields, he can't swing past all of us!" an enemy solider yells out.

Flare starts swinging just before he lands and then when he lands directs the force of landing into the swing. Flare aimed his swing low, anticipating the raising of shields. The soldiers are swept into the air and land on their heads. Flare continues running forward while the rest of the group arrives onto the scene of the three soldiers struggle on the floor.

"Light!" Nira raises her hand and light strikes on one of the soliders. "Yay I got a kill!" Nira does a twirl.

"This isn't a game, you know?" Lark says worried about Nira's mentality.

"But its this kill officially makes me part of the group now right? Hehe," Nira giggles.

"Are you sure you belong in a church?" Lark questions Nira's sanity.

"Now is not the time to be chatting!" Adia says stabbing a solider.

"Yea, stop flirting!" Anna says pouting while stabbing the other solider.

"I..." Lark looks down "BLITZ! CHARGE! GO!" Lark starts running forward just trying to get away from the situation completely.

"What a shy boy," Nira comments before running ahead as well.

"Aaaadia! Its so annoying trying to fly inside" Anna whines.

"Calm down, Anna. I know its hard to fly properly but we gotta just take it slow. You could always dismount and fight like a foot solider too though." Adia flies slowly forward.

"Ahhh, wait up! Fighting on the ground is so slow though!" Anna tries to catch up without crashing.

Flare makes it to the stairs where 4 soldiers are guarding.

"This is as far as you go!" one solider threatens.

"Yea, that's what they all say," Flare says not caring what the solider said.

"Get him!"

The soldiers surround Flare. Flare scans around him without turning his head too much.

"Some men you are," Flare provokes them.

One solider jumps forward to strike Flare. Flare side steps him then kicks him down when he lands.

"Please, don't you guys get trained properly?" Flare continues his conniving speech.

Flare stands on top of the solider he knocked down, putting his weight on him to make it hard for him to stand up. Two soliders this time make a lunge at him. Flare holds his halberd vertically then after squeezing it between the gap of the lunges, he spins his halberd around to parry both lunges at the same time. Flare then strikes one solider with the butt of his halberd then swings his halberd into the other, inflicting a wound on his shoulder.

"This guy is a monster!" the solider who didn't participate yet says. He falls down onto his butt in fear.

"GET UP AND FIGHT, MAGGOT!" a voice yells while walking down the stairs.

Flare rests his halberd on his shoulder, awaiting the one coming down.

"What incompetent soldiers. Must I do everything myself?" The man sighs as he pulls his sword out. "You there boy, I don't know your motive, but I always love a good fight." the man says praising Flare's combat ability. "Soldiers go deal with the rest of the intruders, I'll handle this one."

"Sir!" The soldiers quickly run away.

"I am sergeant Garen. Prepare yourself"

"I am Flare, a pirate that was hired by some Etrurians."

"Etruria, eh? Must be getting desperate if they are resorting to pirates. Well, lets get started shall we?" Garen holds his sword out.

Flare holds his halberd out. They both nod at each other and swing their weapons, clashing blows. Garen's sword was under the blade part of Flare's halberd, so Flare pulls down and away on his halberd. Garen realizing Flare's intention, pulls his sword back. Flare then makes a lunge forward as Garen rolls to the side to avoid it.

"Such a difficult weapon to deal with. Tsk," Garen clicks his tongue while getting into stance. "You solider who has been trying to hide and not fight!"

"Y-yes, sir!" the solider stutters cause he thought he was hiding well enough.

"Get me my horse and lance, this one is troublesome." Garen murmurs at the end of his statement. The solider runs off to the back exit.

"Boy, why are you just a mere pirate? You have some potential that shouldn't be wasted just plundering villages," Garen says trying to by time.

"It's complicated." Flare gives a quick short answer.

"Eh? So you aren't a pirate for money? Are you being squeezed?" Garen questions Flare thinking perhaps Flare is being forced to be a pirate.

"Lets just say family issues." Flare gets into stance.

"Sir! Your horse and lance!" the scared solider returns.

"Excellent," Garen tosses his sword away and jumps on top of his horse and takes his lance. "Let the real fight begin!" Garen points his lance towards Flare.

"I don't think you know what you are dealing with..." Flare says quite dumbfounded at Garen's choice to get his horse.

Garen charges forward and lunges at Flare riding by. Flare blocks the lunge, but staggers backwards from the force.

"Hahaha, boy this is what happens when you fight a mounted foe." Garen gets overconfident and charges again.

Flare anticipates where Garen's next lunge will be and dodges while tripping the horse with his halberd. Garen lands and slides a short distance from where he fell.

"What?" Garen is confused at what happened.

"My weapon specializes in dealing with cavalry, I don't know why you decided to put yourself at a disadvantage. Quite the novice mistake, sergeant." Flare taunts Garen. Flare positions the blade of his halberd near Garen's neck. "You are to be captured alive."

"Flare!" Lark and the rest arrive at the stairs. Lark notices Garen on the ground and recognizes his rank by his armor. "That's the sergeant! What is he doing here?!"

"You said he was a paladin, so I figured I could take him if he was dismounted and if not, it'd be even easier to deal with." Flare says quite proud of himself.

"Solider, go get Percival! Tell him we captured the sergeant!" Lark orders a messenger to be sent.

"They captured the sergeant?" Percival questions the messenger as he is being guided to the third fort.

"I saw him with my own eyes being held captive by sir Flare!" the solider says not knowing how to feel about it.

"Interesting... Even if Lark was there, you need some quality men to deal with the ranks of Bern. That boy took down a paladin just like that eh? He might prove to be a valuable asset later on, I should make sure to cultivate him properly." Percival says to himself, nodding his head.

Percival arrives onto the scene where Garen is being held captive by Flare and the crew.

"So I am graced by the Knight General himself finally eh?" Garen laments his situation. "Might I ask why you guys even invaded a territory of Bern?"

"A land you unjustly took from the Sacae nomads? How can anyone respect that the land belongs to Bern?" Percival says.

"Pfft, as if Etruria cares about the Sacae nomads. Your king just wants the land for himself as well, he's just mad Bern got to it first." Garen laughs at Percival's statement.

"Lock him up, seems our prisoner has a big mouth despite his situation." Percival orders his soldiers. Percival then turns to Flare "I didn't see you fight yourself, but from the looks of it, you don't look like you've been pushed to your limit yet."

"Pardon?" Flare says confused at Percival's statement.

"Lets just say I have my eye on your growth from now on." Percival saws putting some expectations on Flare. "Now then, lets head back to Etruria"

* * *

><p>Well this was sorta long (threes time as long as last chapter). Probably why it ended up going inactive cause I planned so much for this chapter and overloaded myself and ran into a writer's block. Though it didn't help my USB drive was stolen which had the documents on it so I had lost my motivation to continue writing it. Well I don't know if I'll have enough motivation to keep writing it out completely, but I'll just keep writing till I get tired of doing so.<p> 


	7. Chapter 6: Motives

Warning: Long chapter cause I don't know how to stop lol.

I was thinking how people ranked in the military in the past and I realized I have no idea. I'll just stick to what I'm going with, don't think people will be that much of a stickler about it.

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: Motives<p>

**Flare and crew have captured Sergeant Garen alive. With General Percival, they travel to a fort back in Etruria to keep the prisoners there. There are some mixed emotions inside Lark.**

Lark is lying down outside under a tree. He starts observing the subtle differences in the shapes of the leaves to take his mind off whats been bothering him since the offense on the Bern supply camp.

"How are the leaves?" Nira asks Lark as she appears over his head.

"It's quite surprising how the leaves are all pretty unique. I guess when one takes the time to look at nature, you realize how life is not the same between two of the same things. This leaf has a nice round shape and the one next to it is a bit more longer than round, but it's not something a person will notice unless he or she takes the time to observe the differences," Lark answers her question literally.

"Hooo," Nira is surprised at Lark's in-depth answer.

"Then there are the bugs and animals that inhabit the trees. The differences in animals are much more easier to see since they aren't limited to being motionless sugar producers." Lark continues to babble on.

"Animals are cute," Nira comments.

"Not all animals act cute though, some animals can't seem to adapt well enough as others to take advantage of other creatures. You'll see one squirrel gather the nuts and another steal the nuts from him. The first one doesn't even do anything about it and forever gets taken advantage of." Lark sighs.

"Guess I never thought about the affairs of animals between other animals." Nira holds her hand on her chin and tries to act like she's thinking.

"Arggh, this aggravates me to much too. Humans are much worse than this." Lark starts to burrow his head in his arms.

"I think you're just over thinking this." Nira says deciding to sit down next to Lark now.''

"I don't think you understand. War is all about deceit. You have to fool your enemy to get the advantage. That is the most stressful part trying to be a tactician. I have to be able to hide my motives while reading the motives of others." Lark sighs again more strongly than last time.

"Is that what is bothering you?" Nira asks.

"Pretty much. I don't know enough at the moment." Lark says.

"Don't you have anyone to lean on? You can't do everything alone now. You need to have trust in somebody." Nira says, but something was off in how she said it.

"You don't sound like you mean that." Lark says, questioning why Nira is speaking like that.

"Well... in the church we deal with people coming in with stress or depression... so they've taught us how to console others to help them feel better." Nira smiles.

"But you don't sound like you believe what you are saying. You are just being a parrot."

"I don't really know, I just go with the flow I guess." Nira rocks back and forth.

Lark sits up straight before continuing. "So you don't really think at all?" Lark asks quite bluntly.

"Well, everything happens for a reason. I just make the most of what happens. I don't really care what happens since the church has said you have to be patient with what happens. I just move forward believing things will be all right in the end." Nira smiles at the end of her statement.

"I feel like that's just a way too reckless way of living. I like to have control of my life." Lark responds.

"Well, your stress from trying to have control sure is doing you good." Nira lightly retorts.

"I..." Lark had no answer since Nira was right about that. "I guess letting go of some things will be beneficial for me. I will have to sort out which is more pertinent to me." Lark stretches and slightly feels better. "Still, you killed someone during the assault. How does it feel to kill someone?" Lark asks.

"The correct question is 'Am I killing a person for a justified reason?'. I was killing people because I was hired to protect you," Nira pauses just to tease Lark. "And the rest of the group. As for how it feels, well killing doesn't feel good at all, not one bit. But I can do it since I feel justified."

"I've never killed someone before, I may have directed people to kill others, but I've never taken a blade to someone before." Lark says with his hands clasps together, twiddling his thumbs.

"What kind of man will you be if you can't protect the ones you love?" Nira strikes a chord.

"I... " Lark looks down to himself and thinks what would he do if he was a man with a family. As he thought, he leans forward and then hits the ground in frustration. "I've tried to use weapons before but I've always been bad at utilizing them properly. I lack strength and skill to properly fight. I lack any form of magical prowess. Any time I fought, it would just a stall battle where I would just be dragging out the match with my speed. Sure I could dodge, I could even take a hit, but I just couldn't aim properly and during the off-chance I landed a hit, there was no strength behind it." Lark says disappointed in himself.

Nira wraps an arm around Lark and then leans her head on his shoulder. Lark flinches from Nira's sudden advancement.

"You simply lack motivation to fight right now. You have a mental block not letting you get better." Nira states, not moving from her position.

"Nira, please-" Lark was about to say something but gets cut off by a yell from someone else.

"Hey lovebirds, its time for lunch!" Flare yells out.

Lark immediately stands up and face palms embarrassed while Nira, who skillfully dodged Lark when he stood up, waves back at Flare saying she'll be right there.

At the dinner table, Flare's group is on one table.

"Lark I see you making the moves on Nira." Flare whispers and playfully nudges Lark who is sitting next to him.

"More like she's just doing whatever she wants." Lark sighs, still embarrassed.

"Well its a good chance man, men don't normally have a beauty give them so much attention," Flare continues to tease.

"Beauty this, beauty that, why don't you go after her if she's such a beauty." Lark snaps back in a loud whisper.

"Yarr, what lass be crazy to like a pirate?" Flare says, switches to pirate mode.

"You can easily abandon that lifestyle with your connections." Lark remarks.

"Tsk..." Flare gets slightly upset at that remark.

"Do you want to be like your parents that much?" Lark asks Flare.

"..." Flare is silent. "You wouldn't understand. You get to be like your father quite easily."

"I wouldn't say easily..." Lark scratches the back of his head. He thinks back to what Nira said about leaning on someone and thought perhaps Flare can be a good candidate to lean on. "I mean, I've gotten separated from him, time and time again due to how famous he is. I couldn't catch a break where I get to enjoy a day with him without being pursued by an an army who wants to capture the brilliance of the mind my father has."

"At least your father tried to be with you... Mine just sent me off to boarding school. A noble's boarding school nonetheless..." Flare says annoyed at something.

"Perhaps your father actually wanted better for you, instead of being like him," Lark noticed Flare's reaction and tries to calm him down.

"Tsk..." Flare grits his teeth annoyed but knowing that being a pirate isn't exactly the most ideal life to live.

"What if..." Lark starts to think of an idea. "Now hear me out, this might sound crazy... but what if you became a knight that traveled the sea?" Lark blurts out a crazy solution.

"What?..." Flare blinks a bit to understand what Lark said.

"Like what if you joined an army, and your squad specialized in sailing the sea. Then you can sail the sea like your father did, but live a noble life!"

"That's preposterous. There is no use of sea warfare for a kingdom. That would only be useful for like the Western Isles where sea combat would be the most common." Flare says.

"That's also where the most pirates live, imagine if you took over the Western Isles and ran a sea kingdom!" Lark gets excited a little, mainly for getting his mind off whats bothering him.

"You know... that wouldn't be a bad idea now that I think about it. I can become the pirate king!" Flare smiles to himself.

"I think you missed the part where i said you run a kingdom, not just terrorize people taking their possessions and money..." Lark tries to get Flare away from the whole pirate business.

"Who says I have to loot people of their wealth?" Flare asks.

"The definition of the word "pirate" means a person who robs ships at sea. There is no such thing as being a pirate who doesn't steal, otherwise you aren't a pirate."

"Semantics," Flare tries to brush off what Lark said.

Lark thinks for a couple of seconds then has a reply. "Okay, I think I have the solution to your problem. You become a pirate, who steals from other pirates! Eventually you become pirate king, rule the seas, and stop piracy from existing ever again cause you squash any other pirates that show up." Lark says this like its a brilliant idea.

"Stop, just stop. No matter what you say, you make being a pirate sound bad."

"Because it is bad!" Lark was a bit loud and drew the attention of the rest of the table. Farina quickly runs up to Lark and pulls him aside into a hallway.

"Haaa... You don't talk about not being a pirate to Flare. He's very sensitive about that subject." Farina pants a little.

"Why is he so fixated about being a pirate?" Lark can't understand what Flare is thinking.

"Its because... his little sister is actually a pirate." Farina says.

"W-what? His LITTLE sister?" Lark asks confused.

"Flare was fine with going to a noble school, understood that his father wanted a better life for him. But when his sister was taken in by his father and she would join their father in raids and eventually learned how to use an axe and fight on the front lines with their father, it hit him very hard." Farina explains.

"This doesn't make any sense..." Lark is lost for words from this new influx of information.

"This is why this is a sensitive topic for Flare, because he feels like his father doesn't want him and he's trying to get his father's attention." Farina bites her lip in frustration of the situation. "I've tried my best to support Flare. I've traveled with Flare to give him experience similar to what my husband went through of traveling the world."

Lark is silent.

Lark goes outside for fresh air as the evening starts. He goes to return to the tree he pretty much studied during his stay here. When he arrives he notices somebody is there already.

"Who are you?" Lark asks.

"I'm Brando, Lark.. you forgot about me already?" Brando steps closer out of the shade of the tree.

"I'm surprised you're still here to be honest." Lark says.

"What?.." Brando is surprised at Lark's statement.

"You are from Bern, why do you follow us? Us, who are pretty much fighting Bern as of now?" Lark asks.

"H-how can you tell?" Brando asks nervously.

"Adia actually recognized you and informed me about it. I decided to just observe you for now as it would be easier to contain an enemy within our ranks than when he's not." Lark simply states.

"But why are you being open with me now?" Brando nervously asks.

"Because of yesterday's raid that you sheepishly took part in. While you were really trying to not stand out, which you did well at, you still assisted us and even inadvertently killed some Bern soldiers. Since its unprecedented for a spy to kill fellow allies directly or indirectly and you do not have a sinister aura, I take it that you are most likely a deserter." Lark states seeking confirmation from Brando.

Brando holds his head down, partly due to shame. Being known as a deserter is not something people of leadership can overlook as a quality in a fighter.

"It is true I deserted Bern, but..." Brando trails off since he didn't know how to put the next sentence yet.

"But what?" Lark pressed Brando.

"I was fine with joining the army, but later I noticed there is disunity in the army. Some of the generals in the army are not loyal to the current king of Bern and they have been instead loyal to a lord of their choosing. The king has 3 generals who have pledged loyalty to him and then there are 3 generals who have pledged themselves with different lords of the land. I ended up being assigned into one of the generals who now works on occupying Sacae."

"Generals are allowed to pledge to who they want?" Lark asks quite surprised at the social disorder in the army of Bern.

"If the king were to force the generals to pledge to him, it would induce a civil war, at least that's what I think he fears would happen in the worse case scenario. It's not uncommon for generals to pledge to high-ranking lords over the king. Who you pledge to just determines who pays you in the end. There hasn't been a world war that being unified would matter for Bern, so this 'issue' of who the generals pledge to is not seen as a problem."

"So the mishaps of Sacae are the results of some lords who have a personal army?"

"That is correct."

Lark ponders over the army situation of Bern but then realized he has a more relevant topic to address to.

"So what was your situation in the army?" Lark asks a simple question.

"People don't get to choose what general they work for. I was assigned under General Jarvan."

"Oooh? The same General Jarvan set a record on being the youngest person to become a general at the age of 16?"

"Yes... That one." Brando sighs.

"I've only heard of his achievements, but they are pretty astounding considering he's only had 4 years to do anything as a general." Lark speaks in a tangent. "Even if he is from Bern, there is much to learn from him and his tactics."

"Truth be told, General Jarvan has been missing for a month now." Brando delivers unexpected news.

"Missing?" Lark asks to confirm what he heard.

"Rumor says he's run away with a mistress to abandon the stress he's been suffering from a general." Brando says trying to give what he can to Lark.

"Given his age, I wouldn't be surprised if he desired companionship, but to run away from his responsibilities? Sounds dubious..." Lark starts trying to rationalize the general's motive.

"With him going missing, the other lords have started to seize the land of Sacae that General Jarvan has annexed for themselves," Brando says uneasy.

"Why is politics such a mess," Lark face palms at this new knowledge he has gained.

"I don't know..." Brando holds his head down again.

"Well, what you said isn't that much new to me except the whole generals getting to choose who they pledge loyalty too. Not that I expected any new information from you as a basic soldier isn't told much about the intricate details of politics. Since everything matched up with what I know from beforehand, I know you aren't lying to me now."

"Ehehe..." Brando laughs in nervousness and a slight fear.

"You are free to stay for now. We are still keeping an eye on you just due to you being from the other side of conflict before, but do not let it bother you. This group here..." Lark closes his eyes for a second before continuing. "This group here is a trusting one. They won't pry into your affairs. Just don't break our trust now, Brando.

Brando feels slighted scared but more so relieved as he is not in trouble but in fact can continue to stay with the group despite his origins.

Lark takes the time to now visit Sergeant Garen, who is locked up in a cell. The soldier on guard lets Lark through since Lark did direct the assault that got him captured in the first place.

"And you are?" Sergeant Garen asks from Lark's presence appearing in front of him.

"I am the lowly tactician of this group. Pleased to meet your acquaintance." Lark speaks cautiously and formally.

"Ha, lowly. Wiping out the archers on guard into a simultaneous assault on the three forts is not something a lowly tactician will think of. Even then, the specific assault in the fort I was in was superbly done from what I noticed. The other forts weren't even captured yet when I was being dragged out of the fort I was in." Garen says with praise.

"That was more so due to the exceptional performance of Flare."

"Yes, yes, that man. He does not fight like a mere pirate. That man has a refined fighting style with some finest roughness added to it. Its like he's trying to be a noble pirate, hahaha," Garen laughs at the thought of such a notion.

"Let me cut to the chase now, I want to know about Bern's disunited army." Lark states.

"Heh, everyone wants a squeeze on Bern." Garen smirks.

"Its starting to become obvious to the public eye, I don't see Bern avoiding civil war if it doesn't break up into states." Lark says.

"You are correct to make that assumption. In fact, the lords are thinking of separating into states. Even if they just take a small part of Bern with them, they are invading to Sacae to extend their borders and resources." Garen states easily not caring.

"Do you agree with it?" Lark questions.

"I don't care in the long run. I just want to get fame and fortune. Doing acts of war are the best way to meet such results." Garen says.

"So you don't care about the human lives in the way of that?"

"Heh, don't get all moral on me. You direct an invasion on Bern and talk about morals? Talk about hypocrisy." Garen verbally jabs at Lark.

"I'm just a mercenary trying to gather information," Lark states, keeping a good poker face.

"I don't know how personal questions lead to information, but fine I'll oblige. As long as they fight back I will turn my blade to them. There is no honor in killing civilians." Garen says with his eyes closed.

"So the nomads of Sacae..." Lark mutters quietly but Garen heard him.

"The people of Sacae were too prideful, many fought to the death of their tribes. It's fairly admirable but since the fights were lopsided they were folly in their attempt to stop us. They lacked a front line to be supported by their superb troopers. Their swordsmen just would get slaughtered in a futile attempt to attack the knights and wyverns knight," Garen states.

"What are the chances of two lords having their armies fight each other?" Lark continues questioning Garen.

"Its more appropriate to ask 'when will they fight' but you get the point yea?" Garen says.

"Does the king plan to do anything about it?"

"Hell if I know! I only know from my perspective of being on General Jarvan's side." Garen makes a shrugging motion.

"Last question, how big is the squad coming to rescue you?"

"Around 40 to 50 men." Garen smirks.

Lark had rushed to General Percival to inform him of the information he extracted.

"Fairly more than I expected but being outnumbered was very normal for your father so this is better for me to watch."

"This will be my first defense so I will need to go prepare a little extra, excuse me," Lark exits out of Percival's room.

As Lark is walking back to his room, he starts thinking about the layout of the fort and how to place people in it. Putting the fort at the middle of the layout facing downward, there was a mountain range directly behind it spreading out and surrounding the fort in a half circle that was tilted to the left. Somewhat in front of the fort was two mountains with a forest in between. So there were 3 ways the soldiers could approach the fort. There was from the east and southwest in the open. And then there was coming through the forest from the south. While the south would be quicker as Bern could avoid going around the mountains, the choke point in the mountains is easily blocked by a person or two. Course there is always the flying threat coming from behind, but the direction of Bern is from the south, it would take a while for a flank to come from behind the fort.

Now for positioning the army, Lark figured to keep the bulk of the cadets at the fort be a giant mass making it impossible for any 1 person to sneak in. He then would set out smaller squads to weaken any forces trying to pass or just outright kill them. Adia and Anna as fliers are useful here for being able to do some guerrilla warfare using the mountains to camp on. At this point he starts going through who he can send and realizes that he only had Flare, Brando, Adia, Anna, and Nira which is way to few people he can send. Percival did not want to interfere and paid a hefty sum to Farina to also not join.

As Lark was stressing out on how few people he could rely on, he bumps into a girl. Before she fell, he caught her by her hand just in time.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention!" Lark says quickly trying to diffuse the situation.

"It's alright, I wasn't looking either," says the girl.

Lark takes a look and notices she had red hair with a single braided pony tail behind her. From her dress, she was one of the healers from the church.

"Ah ha!" Lark exclaims quite happily.

"Wh-what is it?" the girl is taken aback from Lark's sudden behavior.

"You stand out in my eyes, thus meaning I need you," Lark says without thinking about how what he said can be taken wrong.

"Y-you need me?!" the girl says with shocked expression, blushing slightly.

Lark then clasps both his hands on the one hand he held from saving her from falling. "Yes!" Lark looks very earnestly in her eyes.

"I-I... I'm part of the church, I can't just... this is so sudden..." The girl starts babbling fragments of sentences coming to her mind and blushes even harder.

"Come with me!" Lark then lightly jogs towards his room dragging the girl along.

"Aren't we skipping too many steps?!" the girl says as she is dragged along.

"Lark you playboy." Anna says laughing with Flare.

"Lark, this is unfitting behavior from our tactician. You must show commitment first before trying to bring a girl to your room!" Adia scolds Lark.

"I didn't know you were into red heads..." Nira says looking away slightly dejected.

"You need to teach me how you can be so popular so easily," Brando decides to have a little fun and join it with making fun of Lark.

"Larissa are you really into a guy like Lark?" Nira then turns towards the girl Lark dragged along.

"I don't know anything right now," Larissa says feeling light headed.

"What seems to be the commotion here?" Percival asks as he happens to be walking by.

"Oh no," Lark had a really bad feeling.

"The simple answer is that Lark was bringing a girl to his room," Flare says.

"Ah youth, what a wonderful age," Percival tries to hold himself from laughing to hard. He then notices Larissa. "Lark do use some wisdom as we need to keep our healers ready for battle soon. We can't have them fatigued before the battle even starts now." Percival smirks, trying really hard not to explode.

"There is always the muscle man!" Flare says.

"Ah, that's a good point, feel free to do what you want then Lark," Percival then carries on his way.

"THIS ISN'T WHAT IS LOOKS LIKE!" Lark yells out.

Everyone, besides Lark and Larissa, laughs uncontrollable.

"I can't believe these people." Lark says face palming in his room.

"S-so what do you need from me?" Larissa asks nervously.

"I need your help for the upcoming battle." Lark says getting to the point.

"I believe I'm already being deployed, why would you have to bring me to your r-room..." Larissa blushes at mentioning the word room.

"Because being a healer isn't your potential." Lark says turning towards Larissa.

"H-how..." Larissa looks confused and shocked at Lark's statement.

"There are three things I noticed to confirm my assumptions. First is how your hand felt. It wasn't a pure softness that maidens normally have."

"How rude! I'm still a maiden..." Larissa blushes at remembering having her hand held but is upset at Lark's comment.

"Next was the look in your eyes. When I looked into your eyes, it had a fierceness to them. Before you started babbling fragmented statements, you were ready to strike if need be." Lark continues.

Larissa blushes more remembering the intense stare Lark gave her while being so close to her face.

"Lastly was when we I was dragging you along, you were keeping up way to easily. While I am not a fighter, I do have some speed that keeping up with me means you are capable at movement. With these three traits, your potential is more so inclined towards being a myrmidon instead of being a cleric."

Larissa's face returns to normal and she becomes silent at Lark's last comment.

"I threw away the sword," Larissa says. "I'm not suited at killing people. Saving others is better for me."

"I understand your plight, but you can save people with the sword in ways the staff cannot save people." Lark says trying to persuade Larissa.

"What do you mean?" Larissa asks wondering what Lark meant.

"Lets say its just you and one other person. With a staff, you can heal him repeatedly but if he can't fight then you're just stalling his death. Likewise, with only a staff, you won't be able to protect yourself." Lark says.

Larissa looks down to the ground. "I'd rather die than kill someone again. Tsk..." Larissa clicks her tongue and squeezes her cloak with her hands. A tear rolls down Larissa's cheek.

"Well, would you rather watch your companions die than fight to protect them?" Lark continues to probe Larissa verbally.

"I... I... " Larissa is lost for words.

"I have a sword here. I want you to just hold on to it. If your resolve hardens, then fight with me. If you cannot draw it, then hang it for decoration then." Lark says holding a sheathed sword out in front of Larissa.

"This is a wo dao!" Larissa exclaims looking at the sword held out in front of her.

She instinctively reaches out for it. She takes the sword from Lark and then draws it out and looks at the blade.

"It's so clean and pure. I'm almost sad to think this will get sullied by blood." Larissa says. She then without thinking, swings the sword naturally. "Where did you find this sword?"

"During my journey, I was in the plains of Sacae. I found it hidden at a grave. Bern was attacking and I felt that letting the sword fall into Bern's hand would be against the wishes of the one who left the sword there." Lark comments.

"I feel as if the sword is speaking to me..." Larissa says looking at the sword after swinging it. "If I'm like this... I can fight. I feel the need to get stronger when I hold this sword." Larissa closes her eyes.

Upon closing her eyes Larissa sees a memory from the sword. Two swords engaged at battle to the death. She sees a young man holding the wo dao clashing blows with an older man.

"Fa- father?" Larissa says opening her eyes abruptly.

"Did the sword actually speak to you?" Lark curiously asks.

"I... I think this sword belonged to my father." Larissa says.

"Was your father from Sacae?" Lark asks.

"All I know is... I'm considered a bastard." Larissa turns her head in shame. "My mother was a noblewoman from a fairly high status. From the short years I lived with her, she told me that she society didn't allow her to be with my father but that they desired each other. My mother was stressed completely just trying to keep me from being thrown out like trash. That stress was the undoing of her as she died at such a young age. Once she died, I was abandoned here at the church." Larissa starts tearing up.

Lark puts his hand on Larissa's shoulder. "You've survived till now, I'm sure your parents would be happy to know you are alive and well." Lark says trying to reassure her.

"Please lend me your shoulder," Larissa says as she moves forward and leans on Lark.

Larissa holds on to Lark and cries for a while.

"I can't believe you still brought her into your room after all the chastising we gave you!" Flare says surprised.

"I had something important to discuss with Larissa." Lark says unfazed. With Lark showing no signs of letting himself get teased, Flare drops the topic.

"Alright, you all should know by now that I've been prepping a battle strategy up. That is because Bern is launching an attack to get their men back." Lark delivers grim news of war.

"It wasn't out of my expectations," Flare comments back.

"Given our location. I have a strategy ready. Its fairly simple. We'll send you guys in pairs for guerrilla warfare to weaken them to the point that the cadets will finish off any stragglers that make it to the fort. I doubt the soldiers of Bern will chase you guys deep into the forest, as it will be to their disadvantage to break formation as well as making them easy targets once they separate from each other. So whenever you get overwhelmed, escape deep into the forest and you should be safe to take a breather, to treat wounds, and to reposition." Lark says as he brings out a small chest.

"Is what I think is it?" Adia asks, guessing the contents of the chest.

"These are vulneraries. These should help you guys treat wounds faster to get back into the fight faster. One set for each of you, each one should last 3 uses." Lark says as he hands out vulneraries to everyone.

"So what are the teams?" Nira asks.

"We'll split up into 3 pairs. First pair will be Adia and Anna as they will be a great flying unit together." Lark says.

"As expected," Adia comments.

"We're inseparable!" Anna shoots her fist in the air.

"The next pairing will head to defend the southwest. Brando and Nira." Lark says.

"I-I'm with Nira?!" Brando jumps up from Lark's statement.

"Hoo, I believe you have to protect me then." Nira says accepting the decision already.

"That leaves Flare and Larissa for the west. The west will have the biggest influx of Bern soldiers. So I have high hopes you two can deal the heaviest damage in a short amount of time."

"Wait, Larissa is a cleric though, how is she going to be safe enough to heal Flare in the open?" Anna questions Lark's judgement.

"Ah that's because Larissa isn't a cleric." Lark says nonchalantly.

"What?" everyone except Lark and Larissa says. Some more louder than others.

"Yea, Larissa will be joining us as a myrmidon. We've been needing some variety from all the lance users we had and this will be great for dealing with any axe users that come now." Lark states.

"I will do my best," Larissa nods her head to motivate herself.

"I will go along with Adia and Anna as that will give me the best vision of the field."

Both Adia and Anna give a stare at Lark.

"What's with the stare?" Lark asks feeling a sweat drop.

Adia clears her throat before speaking. "Lark, you've been getting close with the ladies of the army."

"You need to show some restraint," Anna comments after Adia.

"Are we ignoring the fact that being airborne is the most ideal situation for me?" Lark says trying to keep his cool.

"You are a tactician, so you've obviously planned this out," Anna remarks back.

"I think you guys are ignoring the fact that in a fight, all four of you will defeat me." Lark says in a persuasive manner.

"He has a point," Adia says to Anna.

"Don't let his sweet talk affect you sister!" Anna says to snap Adia out of 'it'.

"Lark, your words are too strong on us. Please reconsider your plan." Adia then states.

"I don't even know what is sarcasm anymore..." Lark says flipping the table the map is on.

"I think he snapped." Anna says.

"He finally snapped." Adia says.

"Man it took all day to do this." Flare sighs.

"I sort of feel bad..." Brando comments.

"Ooo, so Lark does snap!" Nira says taking a mental note of her observation.

Larissa was confused and just stood there quietly waiting for the moment to pass.

On the field, Adia, Anna, and Lark are standing on a mountain south of the fort.

"I can't believe you guys were trying to push my buttons," Lark says face palming as he said it.

"To be honest, we thought it'd be a harmless prank, but you really have a strong limit." Adia says to Lark.

"Flare just wanted to mess with you to show he wanted to get past this afternoon's little dispute." Anna says smiling at Lark.

"I don't think that is the most ideal way to show wanting to get past it..." Lark hesitantly says.

"Lark, the army is approaching. They are starting to split left and right. With a small force heading straight." Adia reports.

"Excellent, we shall start with dealing with those going between the mountains. They will be easiest to deal with since they won't be able to fight back." Lark states.

The Bern soldiers navigating through the forest in the middle. Adia and Anna stand on opposite sides of the mountain with javelins ready. Lark had noticed that they didn't bring any ranged weapons with them. So once the soldiers got into range. Adia and Anna fly close enough to throw javelins at the soldiers. They start scattering trying to find cover.

"Someone go back and get ranged support down this path!" one soldier yells out. Another soldier starts retreating.

"Do not let them send someone back!" Lark yells out.

Adia takes this moment to fly down to melee the stragglers trying to run away.

Brando and Nira are west of the south mountain waiting for the first group of soldiers to pass by. Brando is silent because he feels awkward being alone with a beauty like Nira. Nira noticing Brando is uncomfortable, decides to give some words of encouragement.

"I'm depending on you to keep me safe, Brando." Nira says as if she's looking up to him.

"Y-yes! I will keep you out of harms way!" Brando responds nervously loud.

"What was that noise?" an enemy soldier is heard.

"Eep-!" Brando yelps but covers his mouth to stop himself from being heard.

Nira places her hands on Brando's shoulder from behind and lightly rubs Brando.

"Calm down. Focus on the objective. Don't think too much. Just focus... Foooocus on the objective." Nira puts a strong emphasis on the word focus.

"Focus..." Brando says as he starts to clear his mind. Brando resolves himself to just hampering the soldiers advancement.

Brando runs towards the edge of the forest and notices a soldier trying to scout around. Brando takes the time to edge his way towards the soldier. Once close enough he jumps out of the forest, launching a surprise attack. The soldier turns towards Brando and then flinches from the sudden appearance but then comes back to himself and readies his lance. He goes to block but since he didn't have much time to block, it wasn't a very good block. Brando heavily grazes the soldier's side causing him to fall to one knee. Brando takes the time to then pull back and launch another attack straight on to the soldier's abdomen, killing the soldier.

"The scout has been ambushed! Send word-" one soldier starts speaking but gets interrupted by a flash of light. "Chhk!" The soldier keels over.

Nira launched an attack on the soldier about to give an order to cause more chaos to the group. Soldiers start advancing towards the forest where the light came from. Brando quickly stands in their way.

"He's only one man! He can't hold us all back!" an enemy soldier says.

"I will not let you pass!" Brando says with conviction.

The three soldiers charge forward. Brando focuses on to holding all three of them down. Brando holds his shield forward then blocks the first two lunges but the third one slips past his shield, striking the side of his abdomen. Since it didn't pierce his armor, it wasn't too bad of a trade. Nira takes this moment to launch another attack one the soldier who landed a hit. The soldiers' resistance was nothing to write home to so soldiers were dropping from just one combo of light magic. Brando lunges at a soldier and holds him down. Nira finishes off the other soldier with another combo of light magic. The enemy soldier knowing he can't run away from the magic. Makes a last stand and charges at Brando. Brando goes for the block but the soldier put his entire life on this lunge. Brando gets knocked down with the soldier on top of him. The soldier holds his lance up to deal a final blow but the light magic strikes him to his dismay.

"Did I scare you?" Nira sticks her tongue out.

"I thought there was something wrong since he should have died before I got knocked down." Brando says sitting himself up. "Tsk..." Brando grabs his side where he was struck at.

"Lets apply a vulnerary on you." Nira says grabbing a vulnerary out.

"Stop, use mine since I am the one being healed." Brando says pulling out his vulnerary.

Nira takes the vulnerary from Brando and then applies on Brando's injury.

"I think we're forgetting something..." Brando says.

"What would that be?" Nira asks.

"Enemies in sight!" an enemy soldier is heard.

"Oh," Nira and Brando say in unison. They both forgot to retreat back into the forest to treat injuries!

"One is injured! Quick, give them no quarter!" the leading soldier says pointing his lance forward.

This was a squad of four soldiers and one archer. Brando is slightly injured but doesn't let it stop him from getting up and holding a stance to defend Nira.

"No, we retreat to the forest. If they chase us then we are still accomplishing the job. If not we can ambush them soon." Nira says pulling Brando back.

Brando nods at what Nira says and they retreat into the forest.

"Don't let them roam around! Snuff them out fast!" the leading soldier says.

The squad of 5 slowly approach the forest. Noticing them entering, Nira attacks one soldier with her magic and kills him. Realizing they can't approaching recklessly the soldiers regroup and advance together to be able to counter attack the magic if they get attacked. Brando jumps out to draw their attention. The soldiers begin to advance towards him. Nira attacks one soldier and he falls. The rest of the soldiers take this moment to charge forward. The archer in the squad readies his bow and sends an arrow in Brando ways. Brando gets grazed on his face by the arrow. The sudden arrow shocked Brando that he failed to properly defend from the other two soldiers charge. Brando gets pushed back, suffering blows to his chest and upper thigh. Nira uses her magic and kills another soldier.

"Dammit, that magic is too much." the leading soldier says as he and the archer are the last two of his squad alive.

Nira attacks again with her light magic but the leading soldier blocks it with his shield.

"I've seen you attack plenty of times, I can block this easy now." the leading soldier arrogantly yells out.

The archer readies and arrow and aims where he thinks the magic came from. After getting a good feeling, he fires an arrow out. The arrow flies and strikes Nira in her shoulder. It went through her shoulder, leaving a gaping wound with blood flowing out.

"Gheck!" Nira gasps from the sudden damage she took.

"Nira!" Brando yells out.

Brando charges forward toward the archer.

"No Brando! There is still a soldier there!" Nira cries out.

"Fool! Turning your back on your enemy!" the leading soldier smirks and lunges at Brando.

"Tsk..." Brando clicks his tongue and rolls forward to dodge the lunge.

Nira attacks the leading soldier. The first light strikes the soldier but he then he dodges the second strike of light. Nira then kneels down from the pain after attacking. She grabs her vulnerary and starts applying it on herself. The archer readies his bow and aims at Nira. Easy chance when she isn't even trying to dodge. The archer fires his arrow.

"Nooo!" Brando jumps into the way of the arrow and manages to block it with his shield.

"Tsk!" The archer clicks his tongue. He gets another arrow ready this time aiming at Brando. He thinks with the meat shield out of the way, Nira won't be able won't to run away as easily.

Brando stands up straight using his lance to hold him up. The leading soldier points his lance at Brando as a challenge. Brando picks up his lance and stands just on his feet to give off an impression of having strength to continue fighting. The soldier rushes at Brando and swings his lance. Brando blocks the simple attack, but then the soldier kicks Brando down. As he kicked, he suffered a strike of light magic from Nira. Nira's second strike of light grazes the soldier, but it was enough to knock him out.

"Damn magic is so cheap." the soldier says as he keels over.

The archer being the only one left decides to retreat. Nira noticing this gives a final attack out before he gets out of range. The archer not expecting it, get struck and dies from the blow.

Brando rolls around and gives a sigh of relief. Nira comes to Brando and starts applying more of the vulnerary on to him to patch him back up for another assault.

"Good work, Brando," Nira compliments.

"You did all the damage, I was just a meat shield," Brando says breathing heavy.

"I wouldn't have been able to do the damage without you preventing them from reaching me. You played a vital role in our victory." Nira says continuing to treat and compliment Brando.

"You're making me embarrassed," Brando chuckles.

"Phew, they survived," Lark sighs after the skirmish Nira and Brando were in.

"I was about to fly over and deal with it myself." Adia comments.

"Good thing you didn't, otherwise the cadets would have been in danger fighting a more experienced army." Lark replies.

"You mean those cadets?" Anna says pointing at a group of men advancing from the fort.

"..." Lark is silent.

"Lets do this cadets! We came to fight like men! We will not let these Illian mercenaries do everything for us!" Darryl yells out. The group with him yell out in agreement. "Here comes the enemy!"

A squad of seven is approaching. Three soldiers and four archers show up. Darryl's group is just a group of 8 soldiers.

"Form in two lines of four! The second line should support the front!" Darryl orders out.

"Darryl! They have archers, how should we deal with them?" an ally soldier asks.

"Archers? We never trained for that!" Darryl says trying to not look and sound nervous.

Adia, Anna, and Lark arrive.

"Perfect timing you guys." Lark says.

"You aren't mad we left?" a soldier asks.

"No, no. It works out now, but do listen to how I direct you." Lark advises them.

"I do not need the help of an Illian mercenary!" Darryl speaks out against Lark.

"We agree." the rest of the soldiers said.

"You guys!" Darryl says embarrassed now.

"Alright! Support Adia and Anna! Blitz the archers! Adia and Anna will handle the soldiers easily." Lark commands.

The group of 8 soldiers sprint forward toward the groups.

"Form up! Just form a wall and let the archers do the- eeeuuk!" the soldier speaking gets stabbed by Adia in a flash.

The group of enemy soldiers quickly become alert and the archers start drawing their arrows. The ally soldiers at this point make it in time to interfere with the archers, not giving them a chance to fire arrows at Adia and Anna. Adia smashes the next soldier and Anna deals with the last one with ease. The four archers couldn't do anything when surrounded and outnumbered. They died without putting up a fight.

"Execellent," Lark says.

"What now, Lark?" Adia asks.

"Adia you go and assist Brando and Nira now. They should be encountering one more squad. Anna, you take me up into the air so i can see how the battle is going!" Lark directs the two pegasus knight sisters.

"On it!" Adia flies off immediately.

"Lets go Lark!" Anna pulls Lark on to her pegasus and they fly up into the air.

High into the air, Lark observes the field. To his expectation, there was one more group of enemies approaching from the southwest. The center seems to be empty now which made Lark uneasy. Lark looks to the west. He sees the first group is about to reach where Flare and Larissa are waiting to ambush. Look behind them he sees a total of 3... 4... 5 groups! That's way more than what was supposed to happen. He looks further behind and sees the enemy's army flag in the last group, meaning that's where the one directing the army was.

"Anna, we have to quickly go and deal with the situation with Brando and Nira! Flare and Larissa are about to get bombarded heavily by enemy soldiers! We have to get support to them immediately!" Lark says worried about what Flare and Larissa are about to go through. Anna flies faster towards Brando and Nira upon hearing what Lark said.

The last group on the southeast approaches where Brando and Nira are at. Brando and Nira have patched themselves up and got enough rest to fight again. The group approaching are three soldiers, two fighters, and one myrmidon. Brando comes out of the forest and surprise attacks the group. He aims for the myrmidon as he is the most dangerous one for Nira. Brando jumps at the myrmidon and impales him square in the center of his chest making it a successful ambush. Nira follows up Brando by killing a soldier with a light attack combo. One of the soldiers lunge towards Brando, but Brando does a dodge roll to avoid it. A fighter was waiting for it and swings his axe at Brando as he finished his roll. Brando puts up his shield and feels himself sink into the ground from blocking. The other soldier and fighter approach Nira who is left open. The fighter attacks first and Nira dodges it with a side step. She does a quick light attack striking the fighter's head and then has to focus on dodging the soldier who attacks on her flank. The soldier lunges and Nira side steps him as well. Brando, seeing Nira in trouble, runs over towards those attacking Nira. Brando lands a blow on to the soldier. Nira follows up Brando by finishing off the soldier. Brando turns around and holds his shield up to do his best to hold off the three remaining enemies away from Nira. The closest one was the fighter who attacked Nira, he makes his assault first. He feints towards Brando and quickly dashes towards Nira. Nira somewhat expecting it, dodges and strikes him fight light magic as a counter attack. Nira wasn't fast enough to do a combo and focuses on retreating away. The soldiers launch a double attack towards Brando. Brando lacks the ability to block both of them at the same time so he blocks one completely while taking the blow from the other. Brando falls down to one knee from that blow. His armor got pierced this time as nothing went into blocking it, so when the spear was pulled out of him he felt some blood flow out. Brando starts coughing blood. He still holds on to consciousness as he is still focusing on protecting Nira. Nira attacks the fighter again which kills him leaving only the two soldiers left.

"You have to live Brando!" Nira cries out.

"I will... fight till I die... I will not... let you get hurt!" Brando yells out.

With that Brando taps into hidden reserves of energy and stands up as if he isn't hurt. "I will put everything into this one!" Brando grips his lance as hard as he can and charges forward. He jumps high and then smashes his lance on to one of the enemy soldier's shield. The force was so much so that the soldier's was toppled over and crushed under the blow. While it wasn't apparent, but the enemy soldier who blocked couldn't move anymore and was just stuck there with a broken body. However, the other soldier went completely ignored was prepped up to attack Brando once he landed. Brando fell to his knees as he used even his reserve of energy and was barely managing to hold himself up from collapsing. The soldier went for the attack but gets struck by light before he could attack. Nira dashes in front of Brando.

"Nira... what are you doing?" Brando asks barely with any energy to speak.

"I'm not about to watch a comrade die right in front of me!" Nira yells out without looking towards Brando.

The enemy soldier does a jumping lunge. Nira dodges to the right and then tries to repel the soldier back with light magic but only slightly knocks him back. This soldier was not like others and happened to be blessed with some good resistance. The soldier then ignores Nira and goes to finish of Brando. Nira not wanting to let that happen unleashes a combo of light magic which did enough damage to make the soldier think twice of ignoring her. The soldier turns his attention back to Nira realizing he won't have enough time to kill Brando without dying in the process and focuses on his defensive stance. The soldier then charges forward holding his shield out. Nira uses light magic at first but it gets blocked by the shield. Nira goes for another attack but the soldier deftly blocks it again. The soldier then goes for a sweep to prevent Nira from side stepping. Noticing the sweep, Nira jumps back but she wasn't fast enough and gets grazed by the sweep. Nira lands but then falls to her knees holding on to her abdomen that got scraped. The soldier goes for a lunge this time on to the defenseless Nira. Brando quickly dashes in the way and holds his shield up.

"Nira please! This is the last chance for you!" Brando says with the last of his breaths holding the soldiers attack back.

Nira seizes this chance and quickly fires off a light magic on to the soldier. The soldier then falls down, dead. Brando goes down to one knee and catches his breath.

"We... did it..." Brando says panting heavily.

"We're out of vulneraries. I don't think we can do anymore." Nira says not happy. "I was hoping to be more useful."

"You did plenty," Brando says to reassure Nira.

The flapping of pegasus wings can be heard. Adia arrives on to the scene.

"Good work you two," Adia says pulling out her vulnerary.

"Good work? Don't tell me you were watching the whole time!" Brando lies down on to his back face palming. "I really thought I was going to die back there!"

"I felt it would be rude to interrupt your prosperous growth of not being a coward," Adia says unwavering in her decision to not assist Brando and Nira. "I must admit, it was quite the spectacle."

"Give me a break..." Brando sighs.

"Brando was very manly back there, hehe," Nira decides to tease and compliment Brando at the same time.

"You guys!" Lark is heard yelling from a distance.

Anna and Lark arrive on to the scene and Lark starts talking without getting off the pegasus.

"There are no more enemy soldiers coming this way. We'll take you two back to the fort to get treated for wounds. Adia and Anna, after we transport them we have to go assist Flare and Larissa! They are going to be fighting too many soldiers and the leader is there as well!" Lark orders.

Adia takes Brando with her and Anna takes Nira and managed to fit Lark as well and they fly off to the fort to transport Brando and Nira for treatment.

Flare and Larissa are awaiting the first group of enemy soldiers to come from the west. Larissa scouts ahead and sees the first group coming with just 4 soldiers.

"It seems the scouting group has made it." Larissa reports back to Flare.

"Finally, I've been tired of just waiting here," Flare says while stretching himself. "We just have to make sure they don't report back from what they found."

Flare and Larissa jump out and attack the group of 4 in the open.

"The enemy is attacking!" one soldier quickly says.

"Report back!" another says.

"I'm on-" the soldier that started to retreat has his neck cut from behind, instantly killing him.

"Whew, didn't think I would be able to hit the small area between the helmet and body armor so easily still," Larissa says to herself aloud.

Larissa holds her blade out pointing it at the 3 soldiers left. The soldiers were now pincered by Flare and Larissa. Flare casually walks up to them while the soldiers are desperately trying to think of a plan to get out of this. Once Flare gets to close, they just snap and all blitz Larissa. Larissa dodges with ease and counterattacks each one lethally.

"Tsk..." Flare clicks his tongue. "Weak opponents are no fun." Flare walks back towards the forest. Larissa follows him.

The next group arrives shortly after. A group of 3 soldiers, 2 fighters, and 2 archers. Flare and Larissa jump out at the same time and ambush the two archers. The rest of the enemy units surround Flare and Larissa as the archers die from the ambush. Flare and Larissa put their backs to each other and wait for the enemy for make the first move. The fighters showed their impatience first and they launched a duo attack on Flare.

"Switch!" Flare yells out.

Flare and Larissa then switch spots and Larissa parries one of the fighters while dodging the other. She then counterattacks the fighter she parried with a horizontal 360 spinning slash, cutting completely through him. Not stopping there, Larissa dashes towards the other fighter. The other fighter was dumbstruck from Larissa's performance that by the time he realized he was in danger he couldn't muster a defense in time and gets sliced right through like his partner. The three remaining soldiers surround Larissa. Larissa notices where Flare is and quickly attacks the soldier Flare is behind of. With the soldier preoccupied defending against Larissa, Flare cuts the small area between the helmet and body armor, mainly to give off the message 'I can do this to, you know!' to Larissa. Larissa then dashes behind Flare as the two soldiers behind her attempted to attack her exposed back. The two soldiers miss and Flare sweeps his halberd, tripping both of them. Flare then stabs one of the soldiers in the heart while Larissa does a helm splitter on the other.

"Such a barbaric fighter," Larissa comments on Flare's fighting style.

"Killing doesn't have to be art," Flare sighs. "Must be cause your a girl. Girls like beautiful things."

"As if killing is beautiful," Larissa says, showing her distaste in killing.

"Maybe not the act, but the way you move the sword is quite breathtaking." Flare says defending his position.

"I just do whats natural to me." Larissa says turning her head away.

"A natural born killer?" Flare says the first thing that comes to his head.

"Tsk..." Larissa clicks her tongue with her head down at that comment.

Larissa notices shadows in the distance.

"It seems the next group is coming, let us hide for an ambush again." Larissa says as she runs back into the forest.

"Yea, yea, this time I'm not gonna let you do most the work," Flare says a bit disgruntled.

The next group. shortly after, is seen advancing.

"Seven... Eight... eleven... fourteen!" Larissa almost says the last number too loud from her surprise.

"It seems this is either a super group or two groups just merged together." Flare comments.

"Seven soldiers, three fighters, and four myrmidons," Larissa reports the types of enemies there are.

"Considering we didn't even get hurt against seven enemies, I'm sure fourteen will be an adequet challenge for us," Flare says confidently.

"It just feels overwhelming to be this heavily outnumbered," Larissa replies.

"Can't get better if all you do in win flawlessly!" Flare says doing a stretch preparing to get out.

"How should we handle this?" Larissa asks Flare for his advice.

"If Lark was here, he's probably go along the lines of having me deal with the seven soldiers and you deal with the fighters first then the myrmidons," Flare says the most logical answer that came to him.

"To bad enemies don't comply with what works best for us," Larissa replies.

"Lets just wing it. We're pretty good natural fighters and you dodge pretty much everything." Flare throws in a compliment.

"That's because if I don't dodge I'm dead." Larissa says to justify why her dodging ability.

"Well, I'll go first, that will give you a chance to kill two or three folks while they are preoccupied with me," Flare says with a smirk.

"Right behind you."

Flare dashes out of the forest.

"The enemy is attacking in the middle! Gwuaak!" says the closest soldier to Flare who gets taken care off right away.

Two soldiers then lunge at Flare. Flare dodges the first one and then parries the second. He then slams the butt end of his halberd on the one he parried and then focuses on dodging a third soldier who lunged at him quite sloppily. He counterattacks the third soldier as he left himself wide open to an easy kill. Taking the initiate from this, Larissa dashes out and attacks a nearby fighter. The fighter is caught off guard and dies before he knows what happened to him. Two myrmidons then point their swords at Larissa.

"Shouldn't there be honor in a sword fight?" Larissa says to the two myrmidons, challenging them.

"Fine! I accept your challenge!" says one of the myrmidons with pride.

The myrmidon then dashes towards Larissa. Larissa swings and they get sword locked. Larissa starts to get pushed back.

"In the end, you are still just a little girl!" the myrmidon taunts Larissa.

"That prejudice will be your undoing," Larissa snidely remarks back.

Larissa then stops pushing forward with her blade and the myrmidon trips forward from putting so much strength into overpowering her. Larissa then slices his exposed back and he lands on to the ground dead.

"Next?" Larissa smirks.

The other myrmidon dashes forward. Larissa swings and again another sword lock occurs. This myrmidon though did not care for honor and pride and had signaled a third myrmidon to sneak up on Larissa while they were sword locked. Larissa noticed too late. She tried to dodge by suddening pushing forward with a burst of strength but barely got grazed by the blade on her back. Larissa's time seems to slow down. She hears her heart beat very loudly.

"Father..." Larissa says in her mind.

Larissa sees a rerun of the vision of the man she assumed to be her father fighting the old man. This time it reaches to her father's defeat. Larissa suddenly feels a sudden influx of emotions welling up inside her. The myrmidon that locked swords with Larissa fell down from the sudden strength she displayed.

"This is not the strength of a little girl!" he says flabberguasted.

"Strength is not what defines the sword," Larissa says with her eyes turning a shade red. "I will show you my wrath."

"A de-" before the myrmidon could even finish talking, Larissa had already sliced his head off.

The myrmidon left tries to take a step back, but Larissa instantly closes the gap. The myrmidon had no time to react as he gets sliced and diced into three pieces. Larissa looks for the next person to kill.

Flare was surrounded by five soldiers. One soldier lunges from behind Flare. Flare side steps then strikes his abdomen quickly with the butt of his halberd while preparing to dodge the next attack. A soldier that was in front of Flare then goes to attack but Flare parries him back then does a jumping kick on to the soldier to dodge two other soldiers who were aiming to attack Flare at the time he parried. The two soldiers collide with each other and knock each other out. With this, Flare just had to focus on three soldiers for the time being. A soldier attacks and Flare blocks with his halberd then pushes the soldier back to dodge another lunge from another soldier. Flare then turns around to block an attack from the third soldier and then quickly shifts his position to cause the soldier to trip forward from pressing forward too much. Flare then slams the soldier down and stabs his back. The two soldiers left launch an attack at the same time. Flare holds up his halberd to defend. One soldier gets cut and blood splatters from his back, with some falling on to his comrade. The other soldier looks to see what happens and sees a blade fly into his face. His head cleaves into two.

"I'm never going to get to have fun," Flare sighs. "Always show up and finish everyone o-" Flare quickly blocks a sudden sword swing to his face. "Larissa? What are you doing?!" Flare squeezes out a statement while blocking a lethal swing of the sword.

"My blade seeks worthy opponents." Larissa says not sounding like her usually self.

"Have you been berserked? Shoot that's not good." Flare looks agitated at the situation. "I'll just have to survive till it wears out."

"Come at me!" Larissa harshly says.

Larissa jumps back to get out of the dead lock and then charges back in. Flare just focuses on defending to avoid hurting an ally.

"Come on and fight back! My blade hungers for challenge!" Larissa says angerily.

"This isn't a normal berserk... Something isn't right here." Flare mumers to himself while blocking Larissa's assault. "A person who is berserked won't be able to speak a full sentence properly... Larissa!" Flare calls out to Larissa who jumped back out of the second dead lock they entered.

"This is no time to talk, Flare!" Larissa says, posed to charge again.

"Flare! Larissa!" Lark cries out from Anna's pegasus.

"Oyi! Lark! Help!" Flare said entering a third deadlock.

"Larissa what are you doing!?" Lark says getting off Anna's pegasus.

"I must fight the strong!" Larissa says as she jumps out of the deadlock again.

"Larissa you have to come to your senses!" Lark says as he walks up to her.

"Lark! What are you doing?" Flare quickly readies himself to intercept Larissa.

"Just be quiet Flare, I think I know what Larissa is going through!" Lark says without taking his attention off Larissa.

"You are not a fighter, why do you approach me?" Larissa says shealthing her blade in the presense of Lark.

"Larissa, you have to take control of yourself back!" Lark continues to approach Larissa.

"It is my will that I wish to bring honor to my father!" Larissa speaks out passionately.

"..." Lark was about to say something but then remembered an important detail he was forgetting. "Actually, there is a group of soldiers coming from Bern. Bern is the region with the strongest army. You can fight a platoon from there!" Lark tries to divert Larissa's desire to fight for the benifit of the army.

"Strongest army you say?" Larissa takes the bait.

As if on cue, the last group of soldiers start to get close. It was two squads of ten soldiers with the leading figure behind them making it twenty one enemy units. Larissa did not want to waste time and immediately rushes towards them.

"Sir! We're under attacked!" an enemy soldier reports to the leading figure of the army.

"How are they defending with that rag tag team of cadets and Illian flappy donkeys? I, Lieutenant Xin, will not allow myself to be disgraced by this!" Lieutenant Xin says quite full of himself.

"A demon girl is killing everyone! Gwuaaak!" cries out an enemy soldier who gets slain at the end of his cry.

One by one, each enemy would fall to one strike from Larissa. The enemy soldiers were just too slow for her. They would try to attack and she would just counterattack effortlessly slaying each enemy with counterattacks. Not even a group of soldiers attacking at the same time could cover how flexibile Larissa was at dodging. Archers couldn't keep up with her speed to line up an arrow. By the time they could, Larissa was already in their face slashing them to pieces. Eventually all that stood was Larissa and Lieutenant Xin and two lackeys of his. Larissa's eyes still hold a red tint to them and scare the lackeys.

"She's a demon! That's not a human look in her face!" one lackey says.

"You imbecile! How daft are you?" Lieutenant Xin says to his lackey. "Look at her weapon! Its one of those soul possessing swords!"

"Isn't that only a fable to scare kids?" the other lacket says cowering a bit.

"There was a man who was called sword demon around 20 some years ago. He just wanted to fight and never stop fighting. People said his sword possessed him, but more accurately so his strong sword spirit was amplified by the sword that it took over his cognitive thinking."

"How do we stop her?"

"You either kill her or make her desire to fight end." Xin said holding his lance out. "But one thing to note she's not even at the sword demon's level of 20 years ago. She is just a mere myrmidon who picked up a sword she shouldn't have. I won't lose to a mere myrmidon as a prestigious high ranked paladin!" Xin says as he starts charging towards Larissa.

"A strong opponent!" Larissa looks like she is about to feast on some high quality meat.

Larissa dashes forward as Xin charges towards her. Xin goes for a simple lunge but Larissa jumps on to his lance then does a jumping slash towards Xin's head. Xin barely ducks in time but his helmet wasn't so lucky and flew off his head. Larissa lands on the ground and quickly chases after Xin. Xin turns his horse around but by the time he does he sees Larissa already jumping towards him already.

"Pretentious little girl!" Xin says as he thrusts his spear up.

Larissa holds out her sword and slides down Xin's spear before pushing off it for a spinning slash. Xin quickly kicks and manages to catch Larissa's slash with his foot, however the slash was strong enough cut through his armor and inflict a gash on his foot.

"Gahh!" Xin cries out as he falls off his horse.

Xin holds on to his cut foot in pain. Larissa starts walking towards Xin.

"Larissa wait!" Lark cries out while running on to the scene.

"Do not interfere in a duel of mine!" Larissa says pointing her sword towards Lark.

Lark doesn't take the threat to heart and continues to approach her.

"Killing you is pointless, don't come near me!" Larissa yells out.

Lark gets close enough that he could be struck by Larissa. Seeing Larissa still not attacking him, he stands right in front of her. While staring at each other, Lark is thinking of a way to disarm Larissa. Taking into account that Larissa does not want to kill someone who can not fight back, he thinks he can use the surprise factor to overpower her for one moment.

"You are giving off a strange look, you have a fierce look in your eyes but have no killing intent." Larissa comments during their stare off. "What is that feeling behind your eyes?"

Using this moment, Lark quick locks his arms around Larissa. Larissa gasps from the sudden embrace. Lark notices that she isn't resisting, then tries to reach for her sword by creeping one of his hands behind Larissa. But to Lark's surprise, Larissa drops the sword before he even got close to reaching it. Lark then feels himself get embraced back by Larissa. Lark then realizes he just made a terrible misunderstanding.

"Lark..." Larissa weakly says. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it. You've done well and come back to us." Lark says the first thing that comes to his head not knowing what to feel at the moment.

"I... this is why I threw away the sword..." Larissa says burying her head into Lark's bosom.

Larissa starts tearing up. Lark starts thinking of possible ways to get out of this. In his agitation of not finding a clean way out, he starts squeezing Larissa. Since Lark isn't that strong, Larissa doesn't feel the squeezing to hurt but instead feels it as if Lark is trying to bring her as close as possible. Larissa cheers up from that action and then just rests her head on Lark.

"Please save me again if I lose myself again," Larissa whispers out.

"Is it safe to interrupt now?" Flare asks Lark.

"Heh!?" Lark gasps then looks to his right while letting go. He completely forget that everyone else came with him.

"I support you two with my heart fully!" Anna says tearing up.

"That was a splendid display on being good supportive man," Adia gives a thumps up.

"You have my blessings," Nira says bowing to Lark.

"Um... um... congratulations!" Brando didn't know what else to say.

"But, but-!" Lark tries to say something.

"Larissa is lost in her own world. She's not even acknowledging our existence now," Flare says as he walks up to Lark who is still being embraced by Larissa.

Lark then looks down and sees that Larissa fell asleep with a smile on her face.

* * *

><p>I might have gone overboard with this chapter, but it was an enjoyable chapter to write. I don't think the next chapters will be similar in length though. This chapter was long due to adding character depth to multiple characters.<p>

Anyways, due to the length, I'm expecting many errors to be overlooked from just it being a daunting task to keep rereading it to find mistakes.

I wonder if I will have to add a romantic comedy tag at the rate I am going at.


	8. Chapter 6x: Ships Ahoy!

Chapter 6x: Ships Ahoy!

**Roy is being escorted by his vassals, Dart, and the Mage General Cecilia to Ostia. Due to the need to reach Ostia quickly, they are traveling by ship instead of land to save a couple a days from avoiding traveling through other Marquesses' land. Given Dart's reputation, no one normally stands in his way, however...**

"We set sail in an hour! Till then, go diddle daddle around with yer needs!" Dart orders the group.

"This will be a good time to restock on supplies," Roy says.

"I concur, let us go restock on our weapons and such," Cecilia replies.

The group split up into smaller groups to do their own thing.

Sol is walking aimlessly around in Badon where she sees a man at a stall trying to sell stuff.

"Selling this secret book for 10000 gold! It has been forged by the flamebreath of dragons and bound together with the hides of dragons!" the merchant is giving an epic story for the item he's selling.

"If that be such an item, why you be selling it so cheap?" Sol tries to speak normally but some pirateness slips in.

"You pirate! You wouldn't understand!" the merchant says intending to trick Sol into buying it.

"That be so?" Sol says taking the bait.

Given her allowance from Dart is well over 10,000 gold worth, she isn't that worried about splurging. Since it was a skillbook, even if it wasn't as epic as it sounded, it would still help her by increasing her skill to land hits easier.

"Here be yer money, now give me the book!" Sol says pushing a pouch of 10,000 gold forward.

"The merchant quickly grabs the bag without counting the money then runs off, leaving the book behind of course.

Sol shrugs, then picks up the skill book then opens it up. She goes to read it but it's not in a readable language! In fact it didn't look human at all, it looked completely foreign!

"Arr! This be a useless purchase!" Sol kicks the book.

The book lands onto the ground and the pages glow.

"This be a strange book..." Sol says. "Maybe be a magic book instead?"

"Oh my!" a random passerby says surprised at the glowing book. "What kind of marvelous adventure does this book entail?" the robed man picks up the book.

"Ahoy! That be me book!" Sol says feeling possessive.

"Is that so, good lady?" the man asks. "This book just caught my fancy and I felt the sudden urge to just pick it up and ascertain its contents."

"Arrr... that book not be in the common language." Sol says.

"fascinating!" the man says as he opens the book. "Hmmm... This isn't even in the ancient language! This is quite the find, young lady!" the man looks at the contents excitedly with his eyes wide open.

"What ye reckon it to be then?" Sol asks.

"It seems to be a rare artifact! Oh the mysteries hidden in this gem! I must decipher this book!" The man then closes the book. "Young lady, where is your entourage? I must formally request to journey along with you so that I may continue to analyze this rare artifact!"

"What ye be saying..." Sol scratches the back of her head confused at what the man is saying.

"Oh my! That energy ring... or should I say bracelet in this case? I've never seen one so big! Oh please, you must let me travel along side you so that I may examine these rare artifacts!"

Sol finds it hard to say no the man whose eyes sparkle in excitement, but she can't just let anyone on.

"Ye be wantin to come with me, but that be a dangerous game ye be playin then. There be fighting and blood everywhere this journey." Sol warns the robed man.

"Fear not! For I employ the practice of elder magic! I profess my ability to quote, unquote 'fight with the big boys'," the robed man says perplexed if he used his quote right.

"Yarrr, so you be a magic man then? In particular, the one who be usin dark magic," Sol asks to confirm.

"That is correct young lady! Although it pains me to hear it be called dark magic..." the robed man says feeling dejected.

Roy is picking out weapons for himself and his vassals that came along. Cecilia came along to help advise him.

"When buying weapons, you want to buy weapons that are higher quality but are also able to be used by the person you intend to give the weapon to. No point in buying a steel sword for an amateur as they can only handle iron weapons after all." Cecilia gives basic advice.

Roy looks at his rapier wondering about that.

"Your rapier is a special weapon, only noblemen and noblewomen are taught how to use a rapier. It sets them apart from the peasants and even the knights as well." Cecilia adds after noticing Roy looking at his rapier. "Such weapons are custom-made, and aren't sold in a common blacksmith."

"Thank you for the lesson, Cecilia sensei!" Roy bows.

Dart enter a familiar tavern. The tavern where Eliwood and Hector first met Fargas and asked him for passage to Dread Isle. If it weren't for that, Dart wouldn't have then gotten the chance to travel the land. After reminiscing, Dart sits down on a stool.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asks.

"Something light as I be sailing soon." Dart asks the bartender.

"Understood." The bartender goes to get a drink.

"Yarr!" Dart places money on the counter. "Some extra as I plan to take the mug with me too."

"Very well, you've well paid over the value of the mug," the bartender gathers the money into a pouch.

A quick hour passes and now the group is boarding the ship. Cecilia takes notice of the robed man and feels uneasy from his presence.

"Sol, who is this man?" Cecilia makes an inquiry.

"This guy be some magic man who be a man of studyin," Sol replies.

"...You don't know his name?" Cecilia sighs with her head down.

"My apologies! I forgot to introduce myself earlier! I am Sifar, born in the Missur region, but without a home as I've traveled since I was born." Sifar says as his introduction.

"Sifar, huh? Your robe is a peculiar color. Silver is not a color that is affiliated with any practices of magic. Red for anima, black for dark, and white for light." Cecilia states.

"My robe is an angelic robe," Sifar replies.

"A-angelic robe! But those are white for their purity!" Cecilia exclaims.

"You can say my elder magic has tainted the robe to this color. A robe of purity has mixed with the elder magic I've used, causing it to fuse the common colors of the two with each other. That is my theory at least." Sifar says.

"That's... not the problem. Angelic robes are supposed to bless the user by fusing into the person and increasing their life force! You aren't supposed to wear it!" Cecilia says flabbergasted.

"This robe is similar to this girls energy bracelets. Normally an energy ring would fuse into the person wearing it as well, increasing the natural strength of said person. However, with the energy bracelets, there perhaps is too much power stored in them for the young lady to fully absorb at this moment." Sifar states his theory. "Likewise, with my angelic robe, there is far more potential the robe holds that I can contain for now. So I'm wearing it for the unique chance that I doubt I will ever run into again!" Sifar's eyes sparkle as he grasps the robe he's wearing, marveling at its magnificence.

"So you are saying like this girl's bracelets giving her immense strength, your robe gives you immense life force?" Cecilia says not fully grasping the meaning of what she said.

"That is correct. Would you like to see a demonstration sometime?" Sifar asks Cecilia.

"H-how do you plan on demonstrating?" Cecilia says baffled at the offer Sifar gives.

"Seeing how you guys are armed up, I assume you expect battle can come so I will show you during one of those battles!" Sifar chuckles. "I do warn you guys however, try not to agitate me when I'm fighting, cause I tend to lose a little reason when I'm fighting. Elder magic is not the easiest magic to control after all." Sifar warns the group.

"Why do you use it if you know you can't control it fully?" Cecilia feels a sweat drop from thinking about Sifar losing control.

"Ah but that's what makes it fun and exciting! Will I lose my mind first or gain control first? Such is how my adventurous mind works," Sifar says quite excited.

"..." Cecilia is silent and thinks Sifar is crazy.

Time passes by and the ship is well into the ocean. Sol is found leaning on the bowsprit of the ship. Roy walks up to Sol, with two of his vassals standing guard nearby.

"Hello Sol." Roy says to get Sol's attention.

"Pherae boy, eh?" Sol says while still aimlessly looking forward.

"I haven't had a chance to speak to you since our duel." Roy continues to speak while being uneasy of Sol's manner of speech.

"Arr, that tussle be a grand shame to me," Sol shakes her head. "Losin control o'er me strength be the worse kind of painful feelin for a swashbuckler."

"Pardon?..." Roy is overwhelmed by Sol's speech.

"I forgets you be a refined, noble landlubber," Sol nods her head to herself. She then takes a deep breath while closing her eyes.

"Sol?" Roy says confused.

"Good afternoon son of Marquess Phreae, I am Sol, daughter of Dart the legendary pirate," Sol introduces herself in a proper and noble manner. She does a fake curtsy since she isn't wearing a dress.

"Huh?" Roy is astounded from the sudden shift in tone.

Roy's vassals are seen on the ground from utter shock.

"How rude! You should reply back to a lady when she introduces herself to you!" Sol pouts.

"I-I am Roy, son of Marquess Pherae, pleased to make your acquaintance!" Roy bows out of habit from his normal greetings.

"Is this an act?" the green vassal whispers to the red vassal.

"Has got to be, but I'm dying from holding in laughter from watching a pirate girl speak like a lady," the red vassal whispers back.

"It is my pleasure to journey with you across the sea," Sol replies back to Roy.

"The sea is an amazing view. I never have been on a ship, so this is quite the breathtaking view." Roy says as he walks up to the railing of the bow. Roy turns to his left to look at Sol only the have the sun in his eyes. "Befitting of your name, you radiate brightly in the sun that I have to shield my eyes." Roy says while shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Such praise is inappropriate to describe me, a lady of no status," Sol says turning her body away from Roy.

"Nonsense! A lady is defined by her character not her dress and status!" Roy exclaims loudly.

"You really mean that?" Sol says turning around with radiant smile, leaning forward a little with her arms around her back.

"Ahoy Sol!" a pirate calls out to Sol.

"Son of a biscuit eater! Arr, why you be cuttin into me talk with the noble boy? Yarr gonna be walkin the plank when me be done with yer scallywag butt!" Sol angrily says.

"Such character," the red vassal says.

"Much fitting," the green vassal follows up.

"Very ladylike," the red vassal continues.

"So dead!" Sol says pointing an axe to them.

"Sol! Thar be scallywags on our tails!" the pirate yells out.

"What mooncalves!" Sol yells back.

"If I understand right, there are some ruffians attacking us?" Roy asks Sol.

"Aye, matey," Sol replies.

"Let us assist!" Roy insists.

"Thank ye, matey. I be lookin for me old man now," Sol runs off towards the quarterdeck.

"Lancer! Iron!" Roy calls out to his two vassals that were nearby.

"Yes, milord!" They salute.

"We shall assist in the defense. Prepare yourselves!" Roy commands.

"As you wish, milord!" They march off to get their newly bought weapons.

"Old man! Trouble be brewin!" Sol barges into Dart's room.

Dart is snoring with a drink spilled on top of him.

"Ahoy!" Sol shakes Dart trying to wake him up.

"Zzzzz... Sol... zzzzz" Dart turns a little in his sleep but shows no signs of waking up.

"This be what I reckon it be?" Sol says aloud.

Sol quickly darts back to the deck.

"Old man be out cold! I be in charge now! Status report, mateys!" Sol yells out taking charge of the bad situation.

"Sol, it be mighty bad!" a pirate reports back. "They be settin up gangplanks on both sides!"

"Arr, they be asking for a trip straight to davy jone's locker." Sol says angrily. "Rout 'em up!"

"Sol! We be taking in water!" another pirate cries out.

"Dem scurvy dogs!" Sol grits her teeth. "Deal with it! Thar be no scallywag who be havin a chance verse me!" Sol arrogantly says.

"Aye, aye!" majority of the pirates go to deal with the water leaking into the ship.

"They be boarding the ship!" one of the leftover pirates reports.

"Ah it seems it's my time to shine already," Sifar says looking at the gangplanks being set between boats.

"That's not the reaction a person should be having..." Cecilia says feeling uneasy at Sifar's attitude.

"Given we are on board with the strongest pirates of the seas, there is nothing to fear anyways. These pirates are no match for us, in fact I feel loathsome this won't do justice to demonstrating just how my angelic robe works without intentional inhibiting myself." Sifar sighs. "Please allow me to handle one of these gangplanks by myself. I will try to show you the extend of this robe's power.

"Well... Now then..." Cecilia says turning her attention back to the invading ships. "Roy, as a leader in training, you will have to lead the people. What would you do in this situation?" Cecilia says to test her student.

"Hmmm..." Roy ponders over the situation. "Given Sifar will be taking care of one plank on his own, there are three more planks to cover. We just need to have pairs rotate blocking the planks to keep the pirates at bay. Eventually we will exhaust them." Roy gives his answer.

"B minus!" Cecilia declares Roy's grade. "While your strategy is sound, it does not account for fliers they may have. There have been many pegasus pirates lately following suit of the wife of the legendary pirate."

"Yarr, Me new toy be a treat for them pegasus knights!" Sol smirks while holding on to a hand axe.

"Sol and I will cover one gang planks on this side of the boat. Lancer and Iron will cover the gangplank on the bottom side of this side. Sifar will handle the top gangplank of that side. The remaining pirates will cover the bottom of the other side!" Roy says his idea.

"Satisfactory, let us commence then!" Cecilia orders.

"Mateys! Ye be killin on the back starboard! If ye be letting any scurvy dogs over, ye be set for a keelhaulin! Hoist the colors!" Sol translates Roy's order to her mateys.

"Aye, aye!" the pirates rush over wanting to avoid punishment.

Sifar is blocking the front starboard gangplank.

"Arr! Ye be the flea ridden bilge rat!" a pirate says to Sifar.

"Oh, hello again," Sifar impassively replies.

"I'll cut out yer tongue and feed it to the sharks ye cargo thieving scabby sea bass!" the pirate says furious at Sifar's attitude.

The pirate charges at Sifar with intense hatred in his eyes. Sifar doesn't bat an eyelid and blows him away with a flux.

"Oops, I forgot I was supposed to let myself get hurt on purpose." Sifar displays a silly face towards Cecilia. Cecilia sighs at how easygoing Sifar is acting.

"Ye'll meet yer rope's end for that!" The pirate springs back towards Sifar.

Sifar leans back enough to only to be grazed at his chest area from the pirate's axe. Sifar's robe shows to not be cut, but is red where the slash landed.

"Gonna need a bit more 'umph' in your swing," Sifar says feeling dissatisfied with the amount of damage he took from one swing.

"We'll rip 'n' burn yer jolly roger!" the pirate says as Sifar gets surround.

"What is going on?" Cecilia is shocked at what she is witnessing.

Sifar continues to barely "dodge" in the sense he lets himself get grazed by the blades of the pirates. Eventually Sifar's robe turns entirely red from his own blood. But the most peculiar thing is that the robe is not appearing cut at all despite being chopped and sliced through.

"Oh, I guess I should mention that this angelic robe repairs itself using my life force so just having my robe get cut means I take damage. But I need to speed up the process which is why I am also taking some bodily cuts as well. Those also get healed up due to the excess life force I have. But big wounds like broken bones and severed body parts, are not going to heal that fast for me." Sifar sticks his tongue out as he jumps up and steps on the face of a pirate to jump further up. "Alright, you happy now, Mage General?" the airborne, blood dripping Sifar says turning towards Cecilia.

"You are a monster." Cecilia turns her head away from how gruesome Sifar looks.

"Die ye scurvy scum!" a pirate says as he throws a hand axe at Sifar.

The hand axe skids on the top of Sifar's head causing him to lose his jumping momentum and crash into the ground. Sifar starts to hear his own heartbeat sound loudly in his ears.

"Whelp, there goes my sanity." Sifar mutters. A dense purple aura surrounds Sifar as he slowly stands up and turns around and faces the pirates.

"What is this uncomfortable feeling..." Cecilia says, clinging to herself.

"Keeee hee heee heeeeee..." Sifar starts to laugh in a different tone from his usually carefree tone. "I believe its time to wrap this up." Sifar gives a sinister look as blood trickles down the center of his face. Sifar pulls out a new tome. "The essence of life which is bound to you, I claim for myself! Nosferatu!"

A purple mist surrounds a pirate which then causes the pirate to whither in front of his mateys as the purple mist dissipates away from him and accumulates into Sifar. The blood flow on Sifar's head halts just leaving a stained trail behind. Sifar then collects the life essence of the rest of the pirates to restore Sifar's body back to ideal conditions. His robe remains completely blood stained to the point it just looked like a blood-red robe. Sifar then closes his eyes.

"The immortal red robe?" Cecilia says with horror.

Sifar opens his eyes and has his easygoing demeanor returns. "I am not immortal, just durable. Course I am stealing the life essence from these unfortunate souls to restore my life force to abundant levels, so the illusion of being immortal is present. However, I can't just allow myself to suffer any hit as I can't regenerate lost body parts. Also, nosferatu tomes are not cheap to make or buy so I refrain from excessively using this tactic of just stealing their life essence." Sifar says as his nosferatu tome withers away from too much use.

"You are far too dangerous of an individual to keep around!" Cecilia says holding her elfire tome out.

"I could call you a dangerous individual as well then, Mage General. You are far stronger than I am currently." Sifar says. "Is it fair that the strong kill off the weak before the weak can also get strong?"

Cecilia gives an irritated look towards Sifar. She puts her tome away as the current situation doesn't warrant for the execution of someone.

Iron and Lancer are blocking the back port gangplank.

"Yarr, you be messin with the wrong knight!" the red vassal, Iron says.

"Imitating the enemy is the first step to becoming like them," The green vassal, Lancer says.

"I was trying to imitate Sol then," Iron grins towards Lancer.

"That was a terrible impression regardless," Lancer sighs.

"Tis a shame we are on a boat. Had this been an open plain where we can ride, I could have shown my might and grace to the gorgeous Cecilia!" Iron says trying to sound elegant.

"Mage General Cecilia has much better suitors than the likes of yourself. I would recommend giving up on such an ideal." Lancer shoots down Iron's spontaneous dream. "Besides, we have sworn ourselves to Lord Roy! We cannot just abandon such duties for frivolous reasons!" Lancer condones Iron's attitude.

"Yes, yes, mother." Iron ends it there.

"Here come the pirates!" Lancer says drawing his sword, Iron follows in suit.

Lancer takes the initiative and charges at the first pirate on the plank. The pirate does a wild swing that is easily dodged by Lancer who then cuts down the pirate and knocks him into the ocean. The next pirate comes up and attacks with a more concise swing that Lancer had to parry. Lancer redirects the axe to the ground and then kicks the axe out of the pirates hand. Lancer then thrusts his sword forward. With no where for the pirate to go, the sword pierces right through the pirate. Lancer tosses aside the pirate into the ocean and taunts the next pirate to come. The next pirate charges forward wanting to get revenge. Lancer thwarts the pirates obvious attack by striking him before he can even finish his swing.

"Hoo, three pirates down in quick succession while not sustaining any injuries. Quite the vassal Roy has there." Cecilia comments aloud.

"Switch with me, Lancer!" Iron begs.

"Very well, switch!" Lancer says jumping back.

"My magnificence shall be broadcasted here and now!" Iron says brandishing his sword.

"Try not to over do it now," Lancer warns Iron.

The next pirate dashes in swinging. Iron laughs and marvels at himself before blocking the predictable swinging pattern of the pirate. Iron then strikes the pirate dead center on his chest, killing him instantly. Taking from Lancer, he then tosses aside the pirate into the ocean. The next pirate charges forward with a smirk on his face as if he's planning something. Iron however thinks nothing of it and continues to toy with the pirate and focus more on looking graceful in combat. To Iron's dismay though, a sudden hand axe flies right past his face. Iron, shocked by the sudden projectile almost cutting his beautiful face, lets out a sigh of relief.

"Idiot! Hand axes come back!" Lancer yells out.

"Oh my- gaaaaaaaah!" Iron is struck on his back by the hand axe and falls onto all fours.

"Die ye landlubber!" the smirking pirate now laughs while starting a chop motion with his axe at Iron.

Iron narrowly dodges the chop by rolling to his side. Lancer then intervenes and takes out the pirate who is focused on Iron. Lancer looks for the hand axe throwing pirate but doesn't see him in sight.

"So he ran away..." Lancer mutters.

"My moment of glory... ruined by a hand axe. Why must the chance gods play with my feelings!" Iron cries out.

"Maybe if you weren't treating this like a game, you'd need not to rely on chance!" Lancer reprimands Iron some more.

Sol and Roy are guarding the forward port gangplank.

"Alright Sol, now we just have to hold them back and then we should be good."

"Maybe ye be standing back but not me! No swashbucklin lovin pirate be waitin for the fun to come to her!" Sol says pointing her axe towards the other ship.

"Sol?..." Roy is hesitant to understand what Sol meant.

"I gonna be killing them all!" Sol yells out charging forward onto the other ship.

"Sol wait!" Roy says holding his hand out to no avail.

Sol dashes accross the gangplank. One pirate was making his way through but Sol quickly smacks him into the ocean with his axe before jumping on to the enemy ship.

"Scurvy dogs dare be pickin a fight you be not winnin?" Sol furiously taunts the enemy pirates.

"We be not scared of a little lass!" One pirate says.

"Ye die first!" Sol swings her axe.

The pirate didn't have time to react and gets cleaved into two.

"Shiver me timbers!" a pirate says with his knees giving up on him seeing the carnage that just happened.

"Pfft, ye scallywags be fish tryin to fight a shark!" Sol yells out.

Sol swings her axe on the pirate on his knees. She cleanly decapitates his head off. Tired of wasting her breath, Sol focuses on just swinging her axe through the screams of the pirates regretting their decision of challenging the ship of the legendary pirate Dart.

Roy decides to not let himself miss out on the action as there is some value experience to obtain! Roy orders Lancer to come and guard his gangplank as he goes to board the ship. Seeing Sol slaughtering pirates left and right, Roy goes further into the ship. Roy runs into two pirates who were coming as back up for the bow. Roy gets into stance ready for battle.

The first pirate makes his move and tries to chop Roy. Roy side steps easily and does a quick counterattack thrust onto the pirate. It wasn't too much damage but enough to allow for a second thurst to finish off the pirate. The second pirate does a wide swing that Roy ducks under easily. Roy then does a upwards vertical slash that only grazes the pirate from how far Roy was from him. Roy then uses his momentum to combo his first attack with a rotating slash.

"These pirates are very weak. Why did they even think they could handle attacking anyone, let alone Dart?" Roy ponders aloud.

"Ye noble rat! I dare ye to say that to me face!" The captain of the ship walks up to Roy.

Roy quickly points his rapier towards the captain.

"Ye should worry about that lass at the bow! Me first mate no push over to a lass!" the captain sneers at Roy.

"I'm honestly more worried about your friend than Sol..." Roy comments.

"Haaaah? Bwahahaha- Ow!" The captain feels something hit his head. "Who be throwin at the mighty captain of this ship?"

The captain looks down to see his first mate's head lying there.

"Me first matey..." the captain slowly says with a sweat drop coming down his head.

Lets go and watch that fight, shall we?

The hunchbacked first matey is drooling from looking at Sol.

"Me body be devouring you all night long!" the first matey slobbers thinking about fine dining with Sol in the cabin.

"Yer jolly roger be lookin puny small there, landlubber!" Sol verbally jabs at the first matey's pride.

"Ye be hanging on the yardarm when me be done with ye!" The first matey retorts.

Sol makes the first move and swings her axe at the legs of the first matey. The first matey pulls out a sword and blocks the swing with it. Sol is surprised at first but doesn't let it get to her. Sol then goes for an overhead chop. The first matey catches the block with his sword. The first matey attempted to redirect the axe by causing it to slide down the blade but is overpowered in the beginning. The first matey's blade sinks into his shoulder while Sol's axe slid down the blade. The first matey lets out a pain gasp and drops his sword behind him. Seeing the first matey's situation, Sol grips her axe with both hands and jumps up into the air. She does a horizontal swing with all her might with the sole intention of blasting his head out of here. Sol's axe cuts right through the neck like tissue. The first matey's head beams straight ahead.

A group of Pegasus pirates are waiting out in the sky above the boat.

"Umm... I don't think we're gonna be able to salvage the situation here." one of the pegasus pirates says.

"Why would we even help these savages? They don't even treat us like pirates!" another says.

"Why did we leave Ilia again?" a third one says.

"To be like the richest pegasus knight there was, Farina!" the first one says.

"I think we may have missed a key point that made Farina so successful..." a fourth one says.

"That's right! She married a well off pirate!" they said in unison.

"Maybe we should just try joining Farina's crew!" the second one said.

"Even if we don't marry well of pirates, the pirates there should respect us more as Farina is there!" the third one says.

"Yea we should- Waaaah!" the fourth one's pegasus dodges a hand axe thrown at her. "Just where did that hand axe come from?" the fourth one looks down at the boat.

The fourth feels a cold sweat as she sees Sol looking straight at her. Sol then smirks and starts jumping up the mast.

"What kind of insane-" the fourth pegasus pirate is cut off by the hand axe returning. "Waaah not again!"

Sol reaches the top of the mast and catches the hand axe. She then jumps off the top of the mast towards the fourth pegasus pirate.

"I DON'T WANT TO BE A PIRATE ANYMORE!" the fourth pegasus ex-pirate starts crying out of fear.

Sol lands on to the pegasus and then grabs the fourth ex-pirate from behind. Sol takes a deep breath.

"I be preferin not to kill off the dyin female pirate population. So ye all should surrender to me before I be losin me cool." Sol tries to speak more properly but some pirate accent gets mixed in.

"Considering our options, you leave us no choice but to surrender and join you!" the second one says.

"Yes, please take us with you! We will feel honored to serve under a lady pirate like yourself!" the third one says.

"Yarr! Ye be known as the pegasus pirate unit. I be assignin ye names now." Sol says while she let's go of the fourth. "One, Two, Three, and Four!" Sol names them all numbers!

"We're really just numbers?..." One says.

"Is this just laziness or uniqueness?" Two says.

"At least we have some significance right?" Three says.

"I think i need new pants..." Four says.

"Yo ho ho!" Sol laughs as she pats Four's shoulder fairly hard.

"Definitely need new pants now..." Four cries a little more out of shame.

The captain picks up the head of his fallen comrade.

"First matey!" the captain cries out.

Roy did not need a fair fight again a pirate so he thrusts his rapier forward to the captain not paying attention.

"AAAAAARRRRR!" The captain yells out enraged. "First ye scallywags be boardin me ship! Then ye be killin me crew! Then ye be killin me first matey! Ye all be swimmin with the fishes soon!" The captain draws his two axes.

"Dual wield..." Roy mutters to himself.

"Aaaarrrr!" The captain yells out as he does a double chop with both axes.

Roy jumps out of the way as the captain smashes the deck of his ship, making a hole in the deck.

"Ye be breakin me ship too! Ye all gone too far!" The captain says in blind, irrational rage.

The captain does a horizontal spinning axe swing. Roy ducks under the first swipe then instinctively tries to counterattack but stops himself and quickly has to duck again to dodge the second axe. But to not waste energy, Roy readies himself to counterattack after the second swing and then unleashes a counterattack after dodging. The captain is pushed back as he yells out more incoherent sentences. Roy takes the offense this time and charges towards the captain. Roy decides to join in all the fun his allies take in and jumps into the air preparing an aerial stab. The captain holds his axes up to defend but Roy cleverly lands on the axes with his feet and then thrusts forward onto the captains shoulder, disabling the captain's left arm. The captain then swings his right axe. Roy uses the force of the swing to assist him in jumping back and lands smoothly. Deciding to finish in style, Roy raises his rapier into the air then twirls it back down to a finishing thrust onto the captain.

"Avast..." the captain's last word.

Roy turns around and walks back towards Dart's ship, not looking at the captain collapse to his death.

"And so ye be havin it! These beauties be joinin us to adventure the great seas!" Sol introduces the pegasus pirates.

"Yarrr!" the group of male pirates cheer.

"We be living the dream!" one pirate says.

"I be knowin all along followin Dart be leadin to this!" another says.

"Wait, you all joined Dart's crew for women?" Roy asks.

"We be poor men from poor familes. We be never datin a beauty there... But the legends of Dart be givin us hope to find a beauty being a pirate!"

"Dart be a man for all to follow!"

"Wait, do you guys even pillage people?" Roy asks more questions.

"Be golly! That be mighty mean to the poor villagers! We be searchin for buried treasure not stealin a poor man's doubloon."

"Wouldn't that make you guys just adventurers then?" Roy then asks a logical question.

The group of pirates then all look at each other.

"Yarrr! But we be workin so hard for this accent! To be not a pirate now be like fishin just to be lettin the fish go!"

"Pirate logic," Iron says to Lancer.

"Sometimes I question your logic," Lancer sighs.

"I think people have lost the meaning of the word pirate," Cecilia sighs.

"Very interesting, I must take note of this 'Pirate Logic'," Sifar takes mental notes.

"Ahhh! You!" Cecilia points at Sifar.

"Ahhh... Me," Sifar replies.

"Yaaaaaaaarrrr!" Dart yells out in a yawn as he comes onto the deck.

"What be happenin while I be snoozin?" Dart sleepily asks the crew.

"Daft pirates be tryin to attack while ye be visitin the land of dreams." Sol replied.

"Hang on!" Cecilia intervenes. "I can't believe I didn't notice earlier but, you were sleeping the whole time, Dart?" Cecilia asks.

"Aye, I be takin a rest in the quarters with some grog but me memory be fuzzy after me first sip," Dart says while scratching his head trying to remember anything before passing out.

"I believe your drink may have been sedated." Cecilia says feeling uneasy at such tactics being used.

"Oh, so that's what those pirates wanted that chemical for..." Sifar realizes something.

"You gave them the drug to sedate Dart?!" Cecilia replies surprised and angry.

"Well to be fair, I was doing business then," Sifar doesn't deny it.

"I knew you were a dangerous person!" Cecilia says while drawing her elfire tome. The tome glows showing it's primed to fire off. "What kind of person gives a dangerous drug to pirates?!" Cecilia gives an uncomfortable glare to Sifar.

"Cecilia sensei! He probably has a reason!" Roy exclaims at Cecilia's sudden aggression.

"You can not be too trusting, Roy! This man is unstable! He could lose control of his magic and turn on us!" Cecilia furrows her brow.

"While the risk of elder magic is eventually losing control of yourself, it doesn't lead to carnage, just emptiness..." Sifar says trailing off at the end. "Even if I do turn on you guys, I'm no match for the likes of the Mage General or Sol from the looks of it."

"Why do you mention Sol of all people?" Roy asks.

"She is similar to me, harboring an ancient artifact that bestows immense strength to the beholder. Not to mention her power makes it impossible to escape without only a small wound. I won't be able to heal myself back," Sifar says.

"That still doesn't clear you for doing business with pirates!" Cecilia continues to be against Sifar.

"The pirates had employed an ordinary person to me to request for a drug to help alleviate insomnia." Sifar quickly says.

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" Roy asks.

"I had seen through the ruse. It's just I was experiencing the pains of hunger. So I had turned my head this one instance to satisfy my own need. I eventually regretted it and attempted to retrieve the drug back, but failed to do so," Sifar narrates.

"You see? You can blame a person for wanting to feed himself!" Roy says to calm down Cecila.

"If it put your mind at rest, you can just detain me as a prisoner during the journey," Sifar says holding his hands out. "I simply implore that I may be able to do research while confined."

"..." Cecilia contemplates the idea.

"Cecilia sensei! You cannot deny a person without any justification!" Roy says taking a stand.

"Hrrmmmm... " Cecilia grumbles. "Fine, don't blame me if anything goes wrong now." Cecilia walks towards the cabin to rest.

"Your sensei really cares about you," Sifar comments.

"Eh?" Roy blinks feeling confused as Sifar's comment.

"She's just looking out for you. Its not safe in Lycia to travel freely, so can I understand her qualms with letting a stranger join the group." Sifar continues.

"Well, I don't sense any malice in you, so I trust you!" Roy says to Sifar.

"What? You can sense how people are feeling?" Sifar asks.

"Its only a small inkling, but my intuition has been accurate since I've been using it." Roy grins.

"I might have to do some research on you too then!" Sifar grins back.

* * *

><p>Between writer's block and having busy days lately. Hard to find time to write. July gonna be my busiest month yet so I'll try to fit one more chapter in before then.<p> 


End file.
